


Everything Changes

by Eiiri



Category: Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Genre: 1980s, Common Law Marriage, Divorce, Established Relationship, F/M, Family, Family Drama, Family Secrets, Growing Up, High School Drama, Independent Teens, Jack and Ennis Bicker, Jack lives!, Junior is Like her Father, Junior-centric, Limited Coming Out, M/M, things get complicated
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-11-25
Packaged: 2018-03-10 08:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 45
Words: 48,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3284087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eiiri/pseuds/Eiiri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Junior has a not quite fight with her mother that fuels in her a need to know the truth behind her parents' divorce. The only person she thinks might tell her is her father's best friend, so she gives him a call. From there, everything changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Which Junior Unwittingly Starts a Journy

Junior stood in the kitchen helping her mother clean up from dinner. A thought crossed her mind and she voiced it. "Hey, Mama? You think Daddy's ever gonna remarry?"

Alma paused in washing a plate, then resumed slowly. "No, I don't think so. I asked him once an' he said, you know, once burned."

Junior closed the cabinet she'd been putting glasses in. "That's too bad."

Alma looked at her daughter. "Why? D'you want a stepmother?" She didn't sound accusing, just incredulous.

"No, that's not what I mean." Junior faced her mother. "It's just, you've got Bill and"—she shrugged and shook her head—"I don't like to think a Daddy bein' alone."

Alma turned back to the sink a little too quickly for the motion to be entirely natural. "I don't think you need to be worryin' about that."

Junior blinked, not oblivious to her mother's slightly odd behavior and tone. She shifted her weight more to one foot. "Mama?"

"You just don't need to worry about that, Junior."

"Mama, if you mean that blonde woman he was seein', I don't think there's anything to that anymore."

"I'm not sure I know he was seeing any blonde woman." Alma shut the water off with ore vigor than was strictly necessary. "And it doesn't matter if he has been or is or is not. You don't need to worry about him being alone."

Something in her mother's voice caught Junior's attention: not quite an edge—a dulled edge maybe, or the memory, like a scar, of an edge that had once been sharp, but now was worn down. It sounded to Junior like it had been an edge of resentment. She stood there a long moment, watching her mother dry dishes, thinking: what could have hurt her mother? What might her mother have resented, but was now long enough passed for her to pretend to have forgotten? After the long moment was gone and she'd thought of no specific answer, Junior quietly asked, "What aren't you saying?"

"What are you talking about?"

"There's somethin' you're not sayin' here, somethin' you ain't happy about. I can tell, Mama." When her mother said nothing, Junior chewed her lip and, before she could think better of it, asked after the one thing she had thought of that might have bothered Alma the way she seemed bothered, even though Junior didn't see how it could be right. "Did Daddy cheat?"

"What?" Alma whirled to face her daughter. "Junior what are you—?"

"I want to know the truth. I want to know why I shouldn't worry about my Daddy being alone. Has he got some secret girlfriend? And I wanna know what happened anyway! All I've ever been told is 'oh, well, things just didn't work out.' But I remember you crying and Daddy yelling, and I knew I wasn't being told half of the truth and I know the same thing now." She took a deep breath. "I worry about Daddy and the way you're telling me not to _isn't_ helping."

"Junior!" Junior looked away. Her mother sighed. "We didn't tell you things because you were much too young and, really, it comes down to things just didn't work out."

"Well, what about now? Why shouldn't I worry about Daddy? I'm old enough to know my father isn't a super hero, he has faults just like everybody. _Did_ he cheat? _Has_ he got a secret girlfriend?"

"He hasn't got a secret girlfriend. Now drop it."

Junior crossed her arms. "I notice you're not sayin' he didn't cheat."

"I said drop it."

"I want to know!"

"You don't need to know!"

"By that logic, I might as well stop going to school."

"Junior."

"Well? I just wanna know a little bit of the truth. From this conversation so far, I'm pretty well convinced that he probably did cheat. I'm not mad if he did, even if maybe I should be. I don't know. But I also can't think how that can be true. He only ever went to work or went fishing. He never had any friends, really, so he couldn't a been fooling around with some friend a his's wife. The one friend I remember him having, he an' his family are down in Texas. I don't think Daddy ever even met _his_ wife."

Alma tossed her hair in frustration. "Maybe he didn't need nobody's wife to fool around with."

"What's that mean?"

Alma shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

"Mama."

"Listen," Alma put her hands on her daughter's shoulders and took a deep breath, "you're right. There is something I'm not saying and it's not just that I don't want to. I can't tell you."

"Why not?" Junior met her mother's eyes.

Alma bit her lip. "It's not my secret."

"What d'you—"

Alma turned back to the last of the dishes. "This conversation is over."

Junior hesitated, then said, "Fine," and marched off to her room ignoring the looks cast her way by her sister, stepfather, and young half-brother.


	2. In Which Junior Looks Up a Friend

Junior flopped face down on her bed and mumbled into her pillow. "What the hell does that mean, 'not my secret?'"

She rolled over and stared at the ceiling. She wasn't entirely sure why, but she felt like she had to know. It was definitely in part because she did worry about her father being alone, but there was more to it than that.

Her mother wouldn't tell her, that was clear. Asking her father was probably a bad idea. Junior rolled onto her side to stare at the bookshelf on the opposite wall. On one of the lower shelves, the shelf that was currently at her eye level, there was a small wooden box, painted pink. She smiled a little to herself. Her father had helped her make that box when she was six. It had been her treasure box ever since, where she kept shiny rocks, cheap toy rings, plastic bugs, great big acorns, tiny pine cones, anything that struck her as special. She wasn't sure when she'd last opened it. Something occurred to her and she got up, pulled the box off the shelf, dusted the top with her sleeve, and sat down with it on her lap. After a moment of near-religious reverence, she opened it.

And there was the thing she had remembered: a postcard taped carefully to the underside of the lid. She had pulled it out of the trash because she liked the picture, an Appaloosa mare rearing in the middle of a field of wild yellow daisies.

Carefully, she pulled the tape off the yellowing card stock and flipped it over. The message, written in handwriting she didn't know confirming plans for some fishing trip now years passed, didn't matter. It was the return address she wanted.

Jack C. Twist  
700 Ave. I S.E.  
Childress, TX

She grinned. That was his name, Jack Twist. The one friend she could remember her father every really having, his best friend, the only other person she could think of that might know something that would satisfy her need for the truth.

* * *

The next morning, after having shooed Jenny across the street to the junior high, Junior went into her first class of the day and sat next to her friend, Lori, who was idly rolling her plastic bracelet back and forth across the desk.

"Hey Lori."

"Hey Junior." Lori barely paused in her bracelet rolling.

"You have cousins in Texas, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Have you got a Texas phone book at home?

"Yeah." Lori put her bracelet back on and sat up to look at Junior. "Why?"

"Could I swing by your place after school and borrow it?"

"Sure but, seriously, why?"

"I just need to call somebody in Texas."

Lori raised an eyebrow. "Any random person in Texas or somebody in particular?"

Junior rolled her eyes. "Somebody in particular."

"Alright... Sounds sketchy but that's fine." She pointed a highlighter at Junior. "If you're doin' anything that turns out like a soap opera, you have to tell me."

"We'll see. Put that thing away."

Lori shrugged and started drawing on her hand.

It was just starting to rain when Junior and Lori got to Lori's house and the two girls ran the last few feet across the yard to the shelter of the porch. They dropped their book bags by the door and went to sit on the living room floor. Lori pulled a fat phone book from the shelf set into the bottom of the end table beside the couch and handed it to her friend. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Junior settled with the book on her lap and flipped it open. She thumbed through it until she found the listings for Childress and then, at the very end of the T's, the listings for Twist. There were three. One of them was a pretzel shop. Of the two that were left, one was a Jonathon and the other was a woman. "Hey, Jack can be short for Jonathon, right?"

Lori nodded. "Yeah."

"You got a note card?"

"Mhm, here."

Junior took the card, scribbled down the number, put the book back, thanked her friend, dug the collapsible umbrella out of her bag, then headed home.


	3. In Which Junior Makes a Call

Jenny walked up behind her sister, who had pulled the cushions off the couch, hunting for something. "What are you doing?"

Junior stood up straight. "Looking for change.'"

Jenny replaced the cushions and sat. Their mother was with their little brother on a school field trip and Bill was still at work, so the girls had the house to themselves. "If you're looking for change, either you got plans to go tot he arcade, or you got a phone call to make you don't wanna show up on the phone bill.

"One of the two. You still got that jar of quarters in your closet?"

Jenny crossed her arms and looked up at her sister. "Yeah."

Junior pulled her wallet out of her jeans pocket and waved three one dollar bills in front of her sister. "Two for quarters, one to keep your mouth shut."

Jenny narrowed her eyes then snatched the money. "Deal."

It wasn't until that Saturday, walking home from babysitting most of the morning, that Junior got a chance to go to a payphone without being missed. She spent a while just standing in front of the phone with the note card she'd written Jack's number on in one hand and the other fist full of coins. Finally, she picked up the receiver, put in a dime, and dialed while reading the number aloud to herself. "Nine, four, zero..."

She put the additional needed coins in the slot and waited as it rang, once, twice, three times, and again before someone picked up.

"Hello?" The man who answered the phone had a definite, but not major, Texas twang to what had once been a Wyoming accent.

Junior took a deep breath. "Hi, um, I'm looking for a Mr. Jack Twist."

"Speaking." Standing in Lureen's office, Jack sat on the edge of her desk, which she hated, but she wasn't home so it didn't matter.

"D'you know Ennis Del Mar?"

"Yes, I do." Jack felt his heart skip, suddenly anxious.

"Well, this is his daughter."

"Which one?"

"Junior." She curled her fingers nervously in the phone cord.

"Why're you callin'? Is somethin' wrong? Somethin' happen to Ennis?"

"Oh, no, no, everything's okay. Far as I know, the worst thing that's happened to my daddy in the past month is he got attacked by a rabbit. So, he's fine."

Jack grinned. "Rabbits _can_ hurt you, but that's too funny for me to be too worried."

"Yeah." Junior smiled. Jack sounded nice.

"So, why are you calling?"

"Well, uh," she swallowed, "I've got a question or something I wanna know, that my mama won't tell me and I don't think it'd be smart to ask my daddy and you're the only other person I can think of who might know 'cause you're my daddy's best friend, and I have this old postcard you sent to my daddy that I kept when I was little 'cause I liked the picture so I had your name and address and a friend a mine's got folks in Dallas, so she's got a Dallas/Fort Worth phone book at home, so I found your number, and yeah."

"Whoa. Breathe, sweetheart." Jack crossed his ankles. "Whadaya mean there's something you wanna know you don't think you should ask your dad and your mama won't tell you? 'Cause I can't think a anything I might know that you'd be askin' after."

Junior sighed and leaned against the side of the phone box. "I asked my mama if she thought my daddy'd ever remarry and the conversation just turned strange. I could tell there was something she wasn't saying that she both did and really didn't want to say. From what she _was_ sayin', it sounded like my daddy cheated on her, but he didn't cheat _with_ anybody—which is impossible. Unless you're cheating with somebody, you aren't cheating, that's just kinda how it works. 'Sides, I can't think of a single woman he coulda fooled around with an' the only place he went other that work was fishin' with you. When I asked more, she said it's not her secret and that just seems weird to me."

Jack chewed his lip a second. "What exactly are you askin', then?"

"Really, I just wanna know the truth. I worry about my daddy being alone. He's had it hard so much of his life, ever since he was a kid. I also wanna know the truth 'cause I haven't ever been told anything about what happened between my parents."

"I can understand that."

"One way or another, I won't be mad." She shrugged even though he couldn't see her. "Why bother? It's all over by now, Mama's remarried, I've got a half brother. I don't think it'd really be my place to be mad anyway. Who knows? Also, when it comes to affairs of the heart, nobody has much control over anything and people do stupid stuff. I know that from stuff I've read for school and I see it in my friends. And, no offense, but guys seem to do stupider stuff than girls do."

"Oh, you're not wrong, but did you have an example in mind?"

"Trying to impress a girl he likes, guy I know jumped off a roof. Broke his ankle."

Jack winced. "That is stupid. Was she impressed?"

"No." Junior paused. "But, being on crutches for months did earn him pity points."

Jack chuckled. "That's somethin'."

"Yeah." Junior half laughed. "But the stuff with my daddy, I understand if you don't want to tell me, or if you don't know."

"No, I—I know. I definitely know." Jack drummed his fingers on the desktop. "An' yer right, I am the only other person who'd know."

"Well, I understand if you'd rather not tell me, but I would like to know."

Jack sighed. "I'm gonna need to think about it."

"Alright, that figures."

"Is there a time I could call you back? Maybe in a few days?"

"I'm on a payphone, so let's see, uh..." She thought a moment. "I could be here Wednesday after school, say, between 2:30 and 3:00."

"Can you read me off the number for the pay phone?"

"Oh, yeah."

Jack grabbed a bit of paper and a pen off the desk and wrote down what she told him. "Okay, I'll call you."

"Thank you. I'm sorry if I interrupted you doin' anything."

"Naw, my wife's shopping with her mother in Dallas and my son's out with friends."

"I'm glad." Junior smiled. "I should probably head home now."

"Alright, you take care."

"'Kay. Bye."

"Goodbye."

Junior hung up, leaned her head against the phone for a moment, then made for home.

Nine hundred miles away, Jack put the phone back in its cradle and shook his head. "Well, shit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, 940 really is the area code for Childress, Texas. The address I gave last chapter for Jack is really a house in an upscale part of Childress. I admit to having a perfectionist streak and I drive myself crazy looking up things like that on the off chance that somebody out there cares.


	4. In Which Junior and Jack Make Plans

Sitting in the last class of the day on Wednesday, Junior was rather distracted. Lori studiously tattooing herself with a pen wasn't helping. The final bell rang and Junior swept her things into her bag, went to what she was beginning to think of as her payphone, put her bag down on the concrete, and settled in to wait.

It wasn't long before the phone rang and Junior jumped to answer it. "Hello?'

"Hey, Junior."

Junior smiled, relieved. She had been worried he wouldn't call. "Hey, Mr. Twist."

"Oh, don't call me that; let's just stick with Jack."

"Okay. So, uh..."

"Yeah. You doin' alright?"

"Mhm. You?"

"I'm doin' just fine."

"That's good." There was a fairly long pause. "So," Junior said quietly, "are you going to tell me?"

Jack pressed his knuckles to his forehead and took a deep breath. "Yeah, I am. But not now. Not over the phone."

"Then when?"

"I can drive up not this coming weekend but the next, if that'd work for you."

"Yeah. That ought to work. I know somewhere that'd be good to meet."

"Yeah?" Having heard a car door, Jack looked out the window to see that it was just the neighbors' spoiled brat coming home in her purple convertible. He was technically home for lunch. "Where?"

"Just outside of town, there's this combination rest stop/fairground/go-cart track/park."

Jack whistled. "That is quite the mix, but sounds nice. Nobody knows you're talking to me, do they?"

"No, my mama'd be upset, I think, so I don't want anybody who might tell her to know. But I'm seventeen. In less than a year, I'll be an adult. I can drive. I think I ought to be at liberty to do my own thing."

"I'm in no position to disagree with that. And given the nature of what I've got to tell you, it's probably best we be out of the way."

"I figured." There was another pause. "So, see you next weekend I guess."

"Yeah. Man, it's been years since I've seen you or your sister."

"That's right, I remember. Not long after the divorce, you came to see my daddy when he was about to go someplace with us. Bad timing."

Jack smiled. It had hurt then but it was funny now. "Yeah. I probably shoulda called but, you know, I've tried to call your daddy a few times. He never picks up and he hasn't got an answering machine."

"I know. It's weird to think, you an' my daddy've been friends long as I can remember, but I've only seen you once."

"Twice. You were about two the first tmie so I'm not surprised you don't remember."

"Oh, wow, yeah, I didn't know that."

"You looked just like your daddy. 'Specially your hair."

"It was like his back then, curly and blond. Jenny's still is but mine's turned like my mama's."

"I'm sure it's pretty."

"Well, thank you."

"You're welcome, Junior. Now I gotta go back to work."

"Mkay. See you."

"See you."

They each hung up.


	5. In Which Jack and Junior Meet

Something in the back of Jack's mind told him he was crazy as he packed for the drive to Riverton. Something else told him he was doing the right thing.

Lureen leaned against the door frame between the bedroom and adjoining bathroom, painting her nails pink. "So where is it you're goin'?"

"Up to Wyoming."

"Goin' camping with that Del Mar fellow again?"

"Not this time. Getting' back in touch with somebody I haven't seen in some eight, nine years."

"Oh, well, that's nice."

"Yeah."

"Shame you're gonna miss the church picnic."

Jack shrugged. "It's too bad, but this is the only weekend that'd work."

"Well"—she walked over and carefully kissed him on the cheek—"you have a good time. And be careful. You know I don't like you goin' on these long drives by yourself."

"I'll be fine, Lureen."

"Oh, I know. You always are. But I still worry."

Jack shook his head.

* * *

Another good thing about the fairground was, when Junior asked to borrow the car to go there, nobody asked questions. She thought about this as she sat on the back bumper of the little yellow car in the parking lot, waiting. She had no clue when Jack might get there so she'd been there since morning. The staff seemed to be starting to question her sanity.

She was watching a bird pick at french fries on the ground when a red and cream pickup growled into the lot and parked. The driver stepped out and Junior knew at once it was Jack—he looked just like he had when she had seen him that one time years ago. She smiled and trotted over to him. "Hi, Jack."

"Hey, Junior." Much to her surprise, he hugged her then held her at arm's length. "Except for the hair, you still look like Ennis."

She grinned. "Is that a good thing?"

"I'd say so." He smiled and looked across the parking lot to where there was a concession stand near the go-cart track. "Is it safe to eat here?"

"Yeah. It's pretty good."

"Then, if you don't mind."

"Oh, go right ahead."

He started casually toward the stand with Junior very nearly in step beside him.

"You want somethin'?"

Junior shook her head. "I really don't have much money on me."

"I do."

"Oh, no, you don't have to—I couldn't—it's okay—"

Jack stopped walking. "Are you hungry?"

She hesitated. "A little."

"Let me get you something."

"Okay."

As they sat on a bench away from the handful of other people around, each with a cheeseburger in hand, Junior shook her head. "You are too nice."

He looked at her. "I bought my best friend's daughter a cheeseburger."

"That's still nice."

He chuckled and took a bite. She rolled her eyes.

When the hamburgers were gone, Junior went to toss the wrappers in the nearest trashcan—which she did from nearly six feet away—then went to sit back down.

"Good shot."

"Thanks." She smiled then looked down and laced her fingers together. "So..."

Jack sighed and leaned against the back of the bench. "Right. Why I'm here." He sat up straight again. "Before I tell you, I'm gonna tell you why I've decided to tell you."

She looked at hi and nodded once. "Alright."

"To start with, I can tell you really do worry about your dad and that is a large part of why you want to know. Also, you're nearly old enough to have a say in who the President is, so I figure you're old enough to be told the truth and handle what you hear. And you are smart and closer than I think you realize to figuring it out on your own. No, I don't think this is something' you ought to figure out. Just by its nature, it's better you be told by somebody who knows. I also think it's for the better that you not end up hearing it from your mother first. I didn't know she knew but I know she can't know the whole story and only having part of it changes how it seems. Honestly, I'd really rather not tell you, but I feel like I should. For your sake and everybody's."

Junior nodded again. "Thank you."

Jack took a deep breath. "Your father did cheat. But it's not that simple."

"I'd figured as much."

"Yeah. God, I can't believe I'm having this conversation. Anyway, you said you couldn't think of any woman he might have been with."

"Right."

"Well, there's a reason for that."

"Hm?" Junior frowned.

"He never had a girlfriend or any such."

"But he did cheat?"

"Yes."

"I don't think I understand. 'Cause you can't be sayin' what it sounds like you're sayin'."

"What's it sound like I'm sayin'?"

She let out a perturbed breath and looked around quickly. "It sounds like you're sayin' my daddy's queer."

"No, that's not what I'm sayin'. There has never been any doubt in my mind that your daddy is not queer." He hesitated just a bit. "But that doesn't have to mean he's never been in a relationship with a man." It was hard, but he made himself meet her eyes, which were wide.

She put a hand over her mouth. "Oh my God." She shook her head, shut her eyes, and put her hands on either side of her head. "Oh my God."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Oh my God" seems like a reasonable reaction to me. Of course, "oh my God" can mean an awful lot of different things...


	6. In Which Jack Tells the Truth

"Junior?" Jack asked softly. "Are you okay?"

"I dunno." She shook her head again. "I never thought my daddy...I mean I know stuff happens like that. Few years ago it was all over the papers, that guy in San Francisco."

"Harvey Milk."

"Yeah. Got elected then got killed. But, oh my God, I just never imagined..." She leaned heavily on Jack's shoulder. "Wow."

He patted her back. "Of course you never thought. Why would you?" She shrugged. "Are you upset?" he asked. "Angry?"

She was quiet a short while. "No. No, I'm not. Just," she shrugged again, "kinda shocked."

"That figures."

"Pardon me but, holy shit."

"You know, that's a good way to put it."

Junior was quiet again, staring across the empty fairground with her head on Jack's shoulder for some time. "Jack?"

"My daddy was really with another guy?"

"Against his better judgment and general nature, yes."

She nodded slowly. "D'you know who it is? The other guy?"

Jack pressed his lips together. "Yeah."

"Can you tell me? Just so I have a name."

Gently, Jack pushed her off his shoulder. "Junior," he said quietly, "it's me."

Her eyes went wide. "Oh my God." She then smacked herself in the forehead. "Of course it's you!" She stood and walked a couple of paces away and then back. "Of course it's you. There's nobody else. I said myself he only ever goes to work and fishing with you." She sat and let her head fall back to stare at the blue dome of the sky a while then said, "Do you love him?"

Jack leaned his elbows on his knees, looking at the dust between his boots. "More than I love my own life."

"And he loves you?"

"I'm pretty sure. Pray so; and I don't pray a lot."

Junior gave him a questioning look. "Has he never told you so?"

Jack shook his head. It was his turn to stare out across the empty fairground. "Ennis is really uncomfortable with the whole thing. So much so he can't bring himself to look me in the eye sometimes. It scares him. He's scared 'cause he can't control it; he's scared folks'll find out and what they'd do if they did. He's scared of a hundred other things I don't even know what they are. So I figure he must love me or he wouldn't still be around."

"That's sad."

"Maybe. But it's how it is."

A couple birds squabbled in a nearby bush. Junior kicked a rock out from under the bench. "How long's this been goin' on with the two a you?"

"Either fifteen or nineteen years, depending on how you wanna count it." Jack pulled a stick of sugarcane out of his pocket to chew on. He didn't like to smoke around kids. "Either since we started going camping or whatever in '67 or since we met in '63."

"Why wouldn't you count from when you met?"

"Didn't see anything of each other for four years after 'til we met back up in '67."

"Oh." Junior put her feet up on the bench, hugged her knees, and rested her chin on them. "How did the two a you meet?"

"D'you know where Brokeback Mountain is?"

Junior thought a moment. "North of Signal?"

"That's the one. In 1963 your daddy and I were both nineteen years old, on our own, dirt poor farm boys who needed cash bad enough to take just about any job we could get. We both wound up herding sheep up on Brokeback for this mean old piece a work named Aguirre. Met in front of Aguirre's office, got each other's names, went an' got a beer at this trashy little bar. Once we were up on the mountain, there was nobody else around. The two of us, couple of mules or donkeys—forget now which—six horses, five dogs, three a which were puppies, a thousand sheep, and more than enough coyotes. No other people. Now, for the first I don't know how many days, he hardly said a word and most of what he did say was cursing." Jack grinned and Junior couldn't help but smile back. "But 'bout two weeks in or so he told me 'bout his folks. Told him that was the most he'd spoke in two weeks. He said it was the most he'd spoke in a year—and I believed him. That was the first time I ever saw him smile and I hoped to God it wouldn't be the last. After that, we talked a good bit whenever we were both in camp or both out with the sheep. Aguirre was insisting one or the other of us sleep out with the sheep every night in this tiny, filthy little spare tent, which was ridiculous and miserable, so there was a lot less time than there should have been where we were both in camp. Anyway, couple of stupid young guys we were, one evening few more weeks into the summer, we decided to share a bottle of whiskey, which we'd done before, but then when the first bottle was gone we decided to share another. That was the stupid part. Now, I dunno if he'd had more but he was much drunker than I was. I was mostly okay but he could barely stand."

"I feel like I shouldn't think that's funny."

"But it is."

"But it is." Junior laughed.

Jack grinned. "Anyway, even in the middle of the summer, up in the mountains, especially above the tree line like we very nearly were, it gets real cold at night. We'd decided nobody was goin' out to the sheep, we were both stayin' in camp, but, instead of sharing what was actually a three person tent, Ennis decides he's gonna curl up with this thin, old spare blanket on the ground outside by the fire. I told him he'd freeze once the fire died down but he ignored me so I went in the tent, tried to sleep. Sure enough, little while later, I hear his teeth start chatterin'. I tell him to get in the tent for Christ's sake and this time he listens. And, well, we were young and drunk, I'd already decided I liked him, it was dark, we were in the same tent, there wasn't another human soul for who knows how many miles. Things happened I am not gonna tell you about,"

Junior burst out laughing. "That is all I need to know about that!"

She kept laughing and he smiled, but as her laughter faded, so did his smile and he looked down again. After a minute he quietly said, "Ennis didn't say a word to me all the next day. And that hurt. But late that evening right 'bout when I was fixin' to turn in for the night, he came into the tent an' kissed me." Jack smiled at the memory. "He was shaking he was so nervous, and I hated that he was nervous. But I was happy. Happier than I think I'd ever been. I'm a bit ashamed to admit it, but we kinda neglected the sheep the rest of the summer." He dropped the now thoroughly chewed stick of sugarcane.

"Wow. I didn't know any of that. Even just that he'd worked there that summer."

Jack shrugged.

"This might be rude but, are you queer? Or gay? I think 'gay' is s'posed to be nicer..."

"I don't care what you call it but either way, no. Neither me or your daddy is. He's just an ordinary guy who somehow wound up in this long affair with another man. As for me, I dunno, and I don't care really if there's a word for it or not."

"When y'all go fishin' you don't actually fish, do you?"

"I think we honestly tried to fish once. Didn't go well."

Junior rolled her eyes. "I guess that's all there is then. You told me the truth."

"That I have." He stood and stretched then smiled at her. "Glad I have, too."

She smiled, stood, hesitated, and hugged him. "Thank you for telling me. And," she added more quietly, "thank you for loving my daddy."

"You're welcome. And I don't think I've got much choice." He stepped out of her embrace. "On that note, where's he livin' now? I drove fourteen, fifteen hours here from Texas, might as well see 'im."

"Oh, yeah, that makes sense. If you got a map, it's easier to show than explain."

"Yeah, I got a map."

"Then I'll show you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now Junior knows the truth. Back of Jack's mind this entire conversation it's probably like: "I cannot believe I'm tellin' her this, I can not believe I'm tellin' her this." Turns out to be a good thing he did...


	7. In Which Ennis Has a Visitor

Ennis had only just gotten back to his small, paint-peeling shack of a house from checking the livestock for his current employer and was looking glumly around the kitchen for something to eat when he heard a car drive up. He straightened up and tilted his head. "Who the hell?"

He'd not quite made it to the door when whoever it was knocked. Ennis opened the door and just stared a minute. "Jack?"

Jack grinned and shrugged, hands in pockets. "Hey, Ennis."

Ennis stared a moment ore then grabbed Jack by the arm, pulled him inside, kicked the door shut, pushed Jack back against it, knocking his hat off, and kissed him. In an instant, Jack's hands were on Ennis's neck, fingers in his hair.

When they broke apart, Jack said, somewhat breathlessly, "If that's gonna happen every time I show up at your door, I may need to start showin' up more."

Ennis shook his head. "Don't."

"Why not?" Grinning, Jack fixed the collar of Ennis's shirt.

"I'd never get anything done, for one." He picked Jack's hat up. "For another, it's just a bad idea."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, friend."

They sat together on Ennis's old secondhand couch that had come with the house that more or less came with the job.

"Jack, what are you doin' here?"

Jack leaned on Ennis and closed his eyes, happy for his lover's heartbeat. "I was up here anyway, figured I might as well drop by."

"How'd you find where I'm at?"

"Ennis, you've got a Spanish name and yer blond. It don't take a lot a asking around to find you."

Ennis furrowed his brow. "How many folks ya ask?"

"One."

Ennis snorted and ruffled Jack's hair. "You got lucky."

Jack smirked. "Maybe."

"See you shaved the mustache."

"Yeah..." Jack ran a hand over his face. "Might grow it back."

"Don't. It really doesn't work on you."

Jack frowned. "You think?"

"It's not that bad but you look better without it."

"I'll accept that."

They sat together a while without saying much. Jack leaned familiarly against Ennis. "Hope you don't mind if I stay the night; it's too late to drive all the way back too Texas."

Ennis snorted. "If I did mind, I doubt I could make you leave."

Jack grinned and kissed Ennis's cheek. Ennis shoved Jack's shoulder, very nearly pushing him off the couch.

The next morning, Jack shoved his boots on as Ennis dropped their empty bowls in the sink. It was only because Ennis was expected at work that they'd even gotten out of bed. Ennis stretched and something, probably his shoulder, popped. "So, what was it that had you up this way?"

Jack hesitated. "Well, to tell the truth, your daughter called me. Junior."

Ennis gave Jack a dumbfounded look. "What?"

Jack shrugged. "Apparently, when she was little she kept one of the postcards I sent you 'cause she liked the picture so she had my name and address. Looked me up in a Dallas/Fort Worth phone book."

"But, why?" Ennis seemed incredulous.

Jack sighed and shifted to the other side of the couch and looked at Ennis. "She worries about you being alone. And Alma said a couple things that got Junior thinkin' maybe you'd been seein' somebody b'fore the divorce."

"So you come up here to talk to her?"

"Yeah. She didn't wanna talk to you about it and her mother wouldn't talk about it and I didn't wanna talk about it over the phone."

"What did you tell her?"

Jack could tell Ennis was ready to get angry. He met the other man's gaze. "I told her the truth."

"What do you mean you told her the truth?" Ennis's voice dropped to a growl.

"I told her about us, Ennis."

Ennis stood. "Are you out of your goddam mind?"

"No, I'm not." Jack stood too, cursing that Ennis was taller than him. "She was about two steps of logic away from figuring it out herself and God help us if Alma had told her! You know that would not have gone well. Junior's not much younger than we were when this started between us. She wanted to know the truth so I told her and I trust her."

Ennis shook his head. "Get out of my house."

"Ennis!"

"I said get out!"

"Fine!" Jack grabbed his hat off the table on his way to the door, put it on, and turned to look a livid Ennis in the eye. "I love you, you goddam sonofabitch." With that, he walked out into the weak light of the morning, slammed the door behind him, got in his truck and pointed himself home, back of his hand to his mouth, fighting back bitter tears.


	8. In Which Ennis Leaves Wyoming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: fairly graphic violence, and its aftermath, below.

If he weren't so stunned by Jack's confession, there was a good chance Ennis would have followed him out, cursing at his back, Instead, Ennis stood in the middle of the room, fists clenched, fuming, until he had to punch something, namely the wall, which the throbbing in his knuckles quickly told him was stupid. He lit a cigaret and paced the length of the house, blowing angry clouds of smoke. The cigaret died and he lit another. By the time that one died, he'd stopped pacing. Within an hour of Jack having left, Ennis was regretting having sent him away. He huffed, cursed, threw some things in an old duffel bag, scrawled a note on the back of an old sheet of paper and tacked it to his door in case anyone came looking for him, got in his truck, and turned onto the road, headed for Texas for the first time in his life.

Ennis spent most of the drive cursing his truck's tired old engine and praying for about a dozen things of which he knew what maybe three were. He'd hoped to catch Jack somewhere along the way but had no such luck.

A few miles out from Childress with the sun slipping steadily toward the western horizon, Ennis saw two trucks pulled over by the side of the road and he was sure one of them was Jack's. As he got closer, Ennis saw that Jack was out of his truck and in the middle of a fistfight with three men to whom the other truck must have belonged. Jack seemed to be holding his own. Ennis shook his head. "Shit, Jack."

One of the men stepped away from the fight to grab something out of the back of the other truck. Hot fear flashed through Ennis as he realized what it was and he gunned it, to much protest from the engine. He skidded to a halt in the middle of the dirt road, jumped out of his truck almost before it had stopped moving, and threw himself into the fight. He grabbed the tire iron out of its wielder's hand and flung it as far out into the field by the road as he could—but not before it had landed a couple blows, bringing Jack to his knees. Ennis turned with a snarl and a string of profanities and shoved one of the men hard, making him stumble back, fall, and knock his head on the truck the men had come in. The man stayed sitting, dazed, against the door. Jack staggered to his feet and spat blood in the face of one of the two men left standing while Ennis kicked viciously at the back of the other's knee, bringing him down, and stomped on his hand when he tried to get up. Ennis felt bone crack under his boot and the man wailed in pain.

The two men scrambled for their truck and clumsily hauled their concussed companion into the back.

Ennis spat after them. "That's right, ya fuckin' cowards! Run!"

While Ennis shouted, Jack stumbled to his truck, reached through the open window, pulled a snapshot camera out of the glove box, and, with shaking hands, got a couple pictures of the attackers' truck before sinking to the ground.

When the truck was a reassuring distance away, Ennis went worriedly to Jack and knelt. "You alright?"

Jack barely looked up. He was breathing hard. "Do I look alright?"

"No."

He didn't. His lower lip was badly split, he had the makings of a black eye, and a nasty scratch across his brow that went up into his hairline and was bleeding down the side of his face. His shirt and jeans were torn with bloody scrapes glaring through some of the holes. There were other bruises starting to show and he was cradling his left wrist awkwardly.

"Good." Jack pressed the camera to Ennis's chest. "Take pictures. Don't argue, just do it."

Reluctantly, Ennis did as instructed then put the camera aside, pulled Jack into his arms, and held him close, trying to let both their hearts calm. "I thought they were gonna kill you."

"I think they meant to." Jack had his forehead against Ennis's chest, eyes closed. He was trembling. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"C'mere." Ennis pulled Jack's arm around his shoulders, helped him to his feet, and, with some difficulty, got the tailgate down on Jack's truck and sat Jack in the truck bed. With one hand on the less injured side of Jack's face, Ennis told him, "I'ma get my truck outa the road, then we can clean you up."

Jack nodded, Ennis moved his truck and came back with a clean shirt of his own, an old, soft undershirt, and the battered first aid kit that had been rattling around in the back of his truck for years. Carefully, he started to clean the blood off Jack's face. Jack winced, then relaxed and silently let Ennis work.

After a bit, Ennis broke the silence. "You remember what you said 'fore you left my place?"

"That yer a sonofabitch?" Jack barely spoke above a whisper.

"The other bit."

"That I love you?"

"Yeah."

"Mhm."

Ennis carefully undid the buttons on Jack's ruined shirt and had Jack sit up enough for him to get it and his undershirt off. There were ugly bruises flowering across Jack's ribs. Ennis took a breath. "I love you too." He was quiet. "I love you so much."

Jack opened those devastating blue-gray eyes, the faintest of smiles on his torn, bloody lips. "I know." He took Ennis's hand in the one of his own that wasn't throbbing with pain. "I know."

"Oh, Jack..." Ennis looked away, his voice thick with barely restrained tears, one of which rolled rebelliously down his cheek. He took several breaths to regain his composure. "We need to get you to a doctor."

Jack shook his head. "Those men work for my father-in-law and that truck's in his name. I've seen it before. He has _never_ liked me and he is a mean old bastard."

"You think he tried to have you killed?" Ennis's stomach twisted in disgust and rage.

Jack nodded. "That's why the pictures. Police love to have pictures." With a grimace, Jack sat up from leaning against the side of the truck bed and shrugged into Ennis's shirt. "Gimme some aspirin if you got any. I need to have a word with Pa Newsome."

"Not by yourself. No way." Ennis hunted around for the aspirin bottle in the first aid kit and handed a couple to Jack. "For one thing, I'll be damned if I'm gonna let you drive."

"Then come with me." Jack swallowed the pills and gave Ennis a hard look. "I have been hurt this bad, not sure about worse, but I have been hurt this bad and turned out fine. I am talking to my father-in-law."

"Stubborn fool." Ennis shook his head then offered Jack his hand. "Come on, then, I'm not gonna try an' drive your truck."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say that I hated writing this chapter? It hurt. I cried. I do not like hurting Jack. At least I've left him alive. Thank you, Ennis for leaving Wyoming for once in your life and saving your lover's butt.


	9. In Which Jack Takes Care of a Couple Things

With Ennis on his heels, a borderline livid, death-warmed-over Jack let himself into his father-in-law's office. L.D.'s secretary, Penny, looked at him in horror. "Jack? What happened? Are you—"

He cut her off. "Is L.D. in?"

Penny started to rise from her seat. "I really think you should see a—"

"I asked if L.D. is in," Jack snapped. "I need to speak to him right now."

"Yessir." Penny sank back down in her chair. "He's in. Go right ahead."  
  
"Thank you." Jack brushed past her desk, Ennis right behind him. They went into the office. Ennis closed and locked the door. L.D. looked shocked to see Jack in his office. His eyes darted from Jack to Ennis and back. He laughed nervously.

"Why, Rodeo, uh—what're you doing here?" L.D. fidgeted with a rhinestone encrusted, gold-plated letter opener. "You look terrible."

"Cut the bullshit, old man." Jack leaned on L.D.'s desk. "I just got beat up. I recognized the men that did it. They work for you. Recognized their truck, too. It's registered in your name. I fucking speak Spanish. Heard the fellas you sent after me mention you."

"I don't think I understand your point." L.D. scowled and kept fiddling with his letter opener.

"I've got pictures of them leaving in your truck."

"What does that—"

"Police love pictures."

L.D. blanched and stood. "Now you look here—"

"Sit down," Ennis growled.

Cautiously, L.D. sat. He tugged at his jacket front and said in a scathing but beaten voice, "You ain't never been good enough for her, you know."

"So you thought you'd have me _killed_?"

A muscle twitched in L.D.'s face and he slammed a hand down on his desk. "You been sleepin' 'round on her!"

"That is still no excuse for murder," Jack said, his voice low and cold. "And I suggest you watch yourself because, even if I'm in no shape to kick your sorry, arrogant ass, Ennis here would gladly do it for me."

L.D. swallowed. "What do you want?"

"I want this bullshit to stop, even if it means calling the police on my son's granpa. You have never liked me, made that real clear, and I have had it up to here with your harassing me. This is way beyond the last straw. I have put up with you disrespecting me for years but no more. Not after this."

L.D. chewed his tongue, making his mustache look like an angry caterpillar. "I have a reputation in this town, I don't need to have some broke-dick, washed-up rodeo cowboy like you goin' around tellin' bullshit stories like you've cooked up. Tell you what, though, you're right, I don't like you. Might be worth say, two thousand dollars to me if you split with Lureen real quiet, went on your way, kept your little story to yourself."

Jack stared at him dumbly, shocked by the less than thinly veiled bribe.

"I don't think so." Ennis shook his head. "Two thousand is nothin', 'specially when yer talking payin' somebody off to keep their mouth shut 'bout you tryin' to kill 'em. That's bullshit. C'mon, Jack, he ain't worth this; let's go to the police." Ennis took a step toward the door.

"Wait." L.D. looked almost panicked. "I could spare twenty thousand."

Jack looked at him. "If I'm gonna get outa here, I'm gonna hafta live someplace else, which is gonna mean buyin' a place."

"How about thirty then?"

Ennis and Jack shared a look. Jack nodded. "That'll do."

"And I want the negatives a those pictures."

"Oh, no, I'm keepin' those. 'Cause this is not ever gonna happen again and you are not gonna shirk on that thirty thousand. Are we clear?"

L.D. twitched his mustache. "We're clear." He looked away. "Start getting' that money to you next week."

"Tomorrow." Jack unlocked the door and went out, followed by Ennis, who closed it again.

A few steps from the door, Jack's body decided it couldn't run on sheer stubbornness anymore and his knees gave out. Ennis caught him, both of them cursing. Ennis looked at Penny, who had jumped to her feet. "Where's the nearest doctor?"

She gave him directions while holding doors open as he helped Jack back to the truck. Finally, she asked, "What happened to him?"

As one the two men answered: "Got thrown by a horse."

Penny nodded and went back inside, chewing her lip.


	10. In Which Ennis Takes Care of Jack

After a long, unpleasant visit with a doctor—who clearly had his doubts about Jack and Ennis's "thrown from a horse" story, but who had practiced in small Texas towns for too many years to ask a lot of hard questions—they headed to Jack's house.

"This turn up here. Third house on the right." Jack was leaning in the corner of his seat. He looked more tired but less like death.

Ennis took the turn, pulled into the right driveway and cut the engine . They got out and he followed Jack up to the door. They were only a few steps inside when Lureen appeared from out of a hallway. "Jack, I'm glad you're—oh my God, what happened to you? Are you all right?" She continued twittering as she stepped toward Jack, completely ignoring Ennis.

Jack put up a hand. "Lureen, stop talking. I have the worst headache I've had since I stopped bullriding and I'm not in the mood."

She paused and settled her shoulders. "All right." She glanced at Ennis. "Who's this?"

"This is Ennis." Jack started to say something else but was interrupted by Lureen starting to say something to Ennis; he interrupted _her_ and continued talking. "He's gonna help me get some of my stuff and we're gonna go get a hotel. I'm gettin' out of this house, Lureen. I'm done."

She stared at him. "Jack? What are you saying?"

"I just had a near-death experience and you know what? Your father hates me, I can't stand your shallow friends, I'm sick of selling tractors, your parents have no respect for me, I barely get to do the things I like, I dunno when the last time we had sex is, and you really do look better with brown hair. I feel like your pet. I'm done. I'm borderline miserable and I've had enough. We're getting divorced."

Lureen looked shocked. Jack beckoned for Ennis to follow him as he went upstairs. Lureen tried to catch Ennis as he followed. "Did you know he—"

"Nope." Quickly, he went after Jack. Lureen didn't follow.

With his wrist all bandaged up, among other injuries, Jack did need Ennis's help putting a good deal of his belongings into a couple of duffel bags Ennis recognized from some of their trips and getting them out of the truck.

As they were leaving, Lureen caught Jack by the arm. "Don't do this. Don't leave me by myself."  
  
"You don't need me." He pulled his arm away, went out the door, and got in Ennis's truck.

They got checked into the Comfort Inn and found their room. Jack lay on his back on top of the covers on one of the beds. Ennis didn't think he'd ever seen Jack look so tired, or so pale. It almost broke his heart. He sat next to Jack and ran his fingers through his hair, carefully avoiding the line of stitches above his right temple. "Darlin', I think you should just sleep."

Jack sighed. "Can we get something to eat first?"

"I guess."

Jack rolled over and rested his cheek on Ennis's thigh. "Ordering pizza would be easy."

"All right."

It took less than twenty minutes for the pizza to get there once it had been ordered. They ate without saying much and Jack went to bed. Ennis sat up a while, too rattled from the day's events to sleep but without much else to do. After a while, he decided to shower, then turned in for the night in the other bed so as not to disturb Jack.

Ennis awoke around nine, which for him was late. Jack was still asleep. He wasn't as pale as he'd been the night before, which Ennis was relieved to see. It also struck Ennis how young Jack still looked sometimes.

After a good deal of wrestling with his instinct to not leave Jack alone, Ennis scrawled a quick note in case he woke up while Ennis went to the lobby to take advantage of the free breakfast. Ennis needn't have worried. When he came back with a couple of biscuits and an apple, Jack was still asleep and it was another several hours before he woke up.

Jack rolled over, hid his face in a pillow, and made a muffled sound of distinct displeasure at not being asleep. Ennis gave up trying to balance a pen on its end and went to sit on the edge of Jack's bed. A couple minutes passed before Jack sat up slowly wincing just a bit and blinking groggily. He was still wearing Ennis's undershirt. "What time is it?"

"'Bout two, two-fifteen,"

"An' I went to bed?"

"'Round nine."

"So I slept how long?"

"Sixteen hours."

Jack sighed and put his forehead on Ennis's shoulder. "I don't think I been this sore in sixteen years."

"You kinda look like a train hit you."

"Mm." Jack stretched and quite a few joints popped. He winced.

"Saved you some stuff from breakfast."

"Thanks." Jack took the biscuits Ennis handed him and ate. There was quiet for a while. "Need to call an' get my truck towed. It's got a flat; that's why I was stopped."

Ennis nodded.

"At some point, I'm gonna need to call a lawyer." Jack exhaled. "And my parents. You should probably call and let somebody know where you are if you haven't."

"Yeah, I ought to call my boss. I left a note but still." He put an arm around Jack, pulled him closer, and rested his chin on top of Jack's head. "I get the feeling I'm gonna be here for a few days."

"Ennis, you don't have to."

"Yes, I do. I got a taste yesterday of what it'd be like to lose you and I couldn't stand it." He kissed Jack's forehead. "I ain't goin' anywhere."

Jack didn't protest.

Ennis called his boss, who was rather unhappy with Ennis's sudden departure, and told him he didn't know when he'd be back. Jack made a few calls, including to a lawyer and to his mother, the latter of which turned into quite a long conversation.

"No, Mom, it's all right. You don't have to come down here." There was a pause. "Oh no, Ennis is here, I ain't by myself." He sighed. "I'll come see you soon as stuff is worked out better. All right. Bye, Mama." He hung up and took a deep breath.


	11. In Which Jack and Ennis Come to an Agreement

A week later, Ennis reluctantly headed home, Jack having received the first pay-off money from his soon-to-be-ex father-in-law.

"So," Ennis said, one foot up in his truck. "You come up an' see me once everything's gone through, okay?"

"I will."

"An' be careful."

"I will, Ennis."

"Okay. Well, see you."

"Bye then."

Ennis patted Jack's shoulder, got in his truck, and drove off.

In early June, Ennis got a postcard from Jack saying the divorce had gone through and to expect him in a few days. Ennis took off the day Jack was to arrive—his boss, twice divorced himself, had suddenly become much more understanding when told why Ennis had to take off.

When Jack drove up, Ennis trotted out to meet him and pulled him into a hug. Jack hugged him back. "Hey. Oh, watch the ribs."

"Sorry." Ennis loosened his hold. "You wanna come in?"

"Of course." Jack grinned.

They went inside, Jack set his hat down and hugged Ennis more tenderly, chin on his shoulder. "I'm tired. It's been a long month."

"I'm sure." Ennis rubbed Jack's back and kissed his cheek. Jack kissed his mouth. Ennis kissed him back. They stood there some time, arms around one another, kissing warmly, needily, but without the urgency there so often was between them. For a moment it felt like they were back on the mountain.

Ennis put his hands on either side of Jack's face, pulled away, and met his eyes, rubbing his cheek with a thumb. Jack let out a breath. "I'm hungry."

Ennis chuckled, stepped back, and ruffled Jack's hair. "Then let's have lunch."

After a good deal of rummaging through cabinets, Ennis found and heated up two cans of spaghettios. They sat on the couch, eating and talking, touching and smiling. Bowls set aside some time later, the conversation dissolved into kissing again. Ennis pulled at Jack's shirt and nipped his lip.

"Watch it," Jack nipped him back. "That just got healed up."

"Whatever." Ennis pushed Jack's shirt down over his shoulders. It didn't take much longer for the rest of their clothes to hit the floor.

Light from the setting sun slanted in through a gap in the curtains and fell across Ennis's bare back and Jack's arm around his waist. Jack kissed softly at the corner of Ennis's mouth and Ennis combed his fingers through Jack's hair. They lay without speaking while the light spilling through the curtains crawled across the room and up the wall. Jack rolled over so he was laying on Ennis's chest and kissed his forehead. Ennis smiled, reached up and touched Jack's cheek. "I gotta work tomorrow, you know."

Jack sighed and rolled to lay next to Ennis. "Damnit, En..." He sighed again and was quiet a while. "Say, Ennis?"

"Yeah?"

"D'you think now neither a us is tied down, we could get a place together?" Ennis sighed and Jack continued, pulling Ennis close and kissing his hair as he spoke. "I know you think us livin' together is a bad idea but—"

"All right."

Jack paused, somewhat stunned. "Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, I been worried that one a us—you, really—would get hurt or killed 'cause somebody figured but...hell, you damn near got killed anyway. So now I just, I'm sick of missing you an', shit, Jack, I don't want to lose you—I couldn't take that—so, all right. Let's get a place together."

Jack put his arms around Ennis, too happy to put his feelings into words.


	12. Chapter 12

Within a few days, Jack left for Lightning Flat to see his folks. Another couple days and a fight with his boss later, Ennis followed.

The run down little farm with its whitewashed buildings and dirt drive would have been completely unremarkable to Ennis if it weren't for the name on the mailbox and Jack's truck parked out front of the house. The kitchen door was propped open so Ennis went in, knocking on the door frame as he did. A fairly petite woman with short, wavy hair and hands shaped by a long life of hard work turned to smile at him from where she stood at the sink, washing dishes. "Oh, hello, you must be Ennis." She stepped away from the counter and dried her hands on a tartan towel. "Jack said you'd be comin'." She laughed softly. "I've heard an awful lot about from him. I'm his mother, Sue." She held out a hand.

With the hand that wasn't holding his hat, Ennis shook her hand. "Nice to meet you ma'am. Uh..."

"Jack's upstairs. Been tryin' to fix an old radio all day." She jerked a thumb toward where Ennis could see the foot of a flight of stairs in the hallway. "Go on, first door on the right at the top of the stairs."

Ennis nodded to Jack's mother and went up to the second floor. The first door on the right stood open, and there was Jack, sitting on the floor, a radio that couldn't have been much younger than himself opened up in front of him. He looked up and smiled. "Hey, En."

Ennis smiled, "Hey," and sat on the floor next to Jack. "Why are you tryin' to fix this old thing?"

"Mama was complaining yesterday that it don't work. My dad's out playing poker with some a the other old men, by the way."

"Should I be glad a that?"

Jack snorted. "Probably."

After a bit, Jack closed up the radio and took it down stairs, Ennis a step behind. Jack set the radio on the kitchen table. "It oughta work now, Mama."

"Oh, thank you, Jack, that's terrific." Sue put the lid on a pot of roast on the stove. "Could you boys help me with something out in the shed? I promised Carol down the road with some things for her daughter's gettin' married."

"Oh, yeah, I can help an' I'm sure Ennis don't mind."

Ennis nodded. "Not at all."

Sue lead the two of them out to the shed and put them to work loading furniture and boxes of things like plates into the old, dark pickup Ennis recognized as having once been Jack's. After a while, Sue frowned and said, "Jack, you're startin' to look tired. You wanna go in and lay down?"

Jack shook his head. "Naw, Mama, I'm fine."

She crossed her arms. "You're still healing up an' you been under an awful lot of stress. I think you should go take a rest."

"I'm fine, Mama."

"Jack."

"I'm telling you, I'm okay."

Sue looked unimpressed. "Johnathan."

Jack visibly winced. "Alright, alright, I'll go." Grumbling to himself, he went inside.

"I have never," Ennis said, "heard anyone call him anything other than Jack."

"Oh, he hates bein' called by his full name. When he was about seven he threw a fit 'cause his teacher called him John." She shrugged. "He's just Jack; 'cept, of course, when I'm cross with 'im."

Ennis snorted, not quite laughing. He liked Sue.

"Can you get that box there, the one with a picture of an owl on it? Then I think that's all that'll fit in the truck."

As Ennis dug the indicated box out of the pile of more or less random stuff that surrounded it, Sue asked, "You an' Jack known each other a long time, yeah?"

"Almost twenty years." Ennis set aside a ceramic figurine of a cat, then, as it gave him the uneasy feeling it was watching him, put an empty feed bag over it.

"Mhm, that's what I thought. That's longer than he's ever had any one friend other than you."

"Mm."

"He talks about you 'bout as much as he talks about Bobby, more than he ever really did 'bout Lureen." She nodded, agreeing with herself. "Two a you seem real close, I'm gad a it, too."

Ennis made a sound of acknowledgment.

"Figure you know 'im better than anybody else does these days."

"Might."

There was a silence long enough for Ennis to finish unburying the box but just too short for him to pick it up.

"Jack wears a green carnation sometimes, don't he?"

Ennis half choked on air and turned to face Sue, no clue what to say.

"I mean," she amended, "he's a grown man, it's long past bein' any a my business what he does behind closed doors, but I'd like to know if he's doin' anything that's like to get him hurt, and he's my son, so one way or another I'm obligated to love 'im. I just figured you'd probably know if anybody does."

Ennis stared at her a while then looked away to watch a raptor circling in the sky some way off. "Yeah, yeah, he does."

Sue sighed. "I can't say I'm surprised."

Unable to think of a response, Ennis picked up the box, walked across the dusty yard, and put it in the truck. Trailing after him, Sue asked softly, "He didn't get thrown by no horse, did he?"

"No, ma'am."

"I'm glad you were there."

Ennis nodded. Sue was quiet a while. "I sure don't mean to offend but I hope you can understand my askin' if you you ever wear a green carnation, too."

It took a while for Ennis to decide whether and how to answer, then, very softly and without looking at her, he said, "Only for him."

She put a hand on his shoulder. "I don't think you can know how glad I am a that." She rubbed his shoulder then took her hand away. "And if I'm bein' honest—which I can be now they're not married—I never liked Lureen. Shallow little viper. C'mon, help me finish makin' supper."

"I really can't cook."

"I doubt you can be any worse than Jack and I make him help."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note on dialect: "to wear a green carnation" is a slang term from the Victorian era meaning (in reference to men) "to have or exhibit homosexual tenancies." Sue would have been born in the early 20's, and the phrase was still fairly widely used until WWII in some parts of the world so I decided it was reasonable for Sue to use it and for Ennis to understand it.


	13. In Which Ennis has Dinner with the Twists

Ennis's main role in helping finish supper turned out to be peeling potatoes, which he did have some aptitude for; probably because he'd whittled since he was old enough to wield a pocket knife. The roast smelled amazing but Sue kept looking at it and frowning as if it were speaking in bad Chinese and she was trying to work out what it was saying. Thinking about it, Ennis realized a lot of women did that.

"Everything'll be done in just a minute, you wanna wake Jack up?"

"You don't wanna wait for your husband?"

"Oh, with him playin' cards an' drinkin' an' talkin' I'll be lucky to see him again 'fore tomorrow night."

Ennis shrugged but, having been guilty of much the same, said nothing and went upstairs to wake Jack.

The little room at the top of the stairs fit Jack. Ennis hadn't paid much attention to it earlier when Jack was fixing the radio but everything about it, from the scuffed floor to the magazine pages taped to the wall, just seemed to belong to Jack. The man himself was laying face down on the rumpled quilt that covered his bed, snoring softly into his pillow, one arm dangling over the side of the mattress.

Ennis shook Jack's shoulder until he woke, and received a pillow in the face for his efforts. At almost forty years old, Jack still acted like a child. With a long suffering sigh, Ennis set the pillow on the bed. "Your mama said to come get you; supper's ready."

Jack sat up. His shirt was rumpled and partially unbuttoned and his hair was sticking up in all directions. Ennis half smiled and smoothed down Jack's hair. "Darlin', you are a mess."

"Whatever," Jack grumbled and stood, fixed his clothes, then went back down to the kitchen with Ennis trailing a step behind.

Sue spent the majority of supper good-naturedly chastising her son for one thing or another or smiling knowingly to herself.

"Mama, what're you lookin' like that for?"

"Oh, I'm just thinkin' I'm glad you got Ennis here to look after your behind." She took a sip of her tea. "Anyway, Jack, you can't stay here forever an' I know you an' your daddy can only stand each other for so long. So, what are you going to do with yourself?"

"Well, uh," Jack paused with a chunk of potato halfway to his mouth and glanced at Ennis. "We were thinkin' maybe me an' Ennis buy a place, run it together, since we're both divorced." He shrugged. "More stable than bein' hired hands an' easier to do together than on our own."

Ennis nodded. Sue made an approving noise. "Sounds like a pretty good plan. Guess you boys had best start reading the classifieds."


	14. In Which Ennis Talks to Alma

That evening Jack and Ennis started looking for a place to buy together. Ennis went home a few days later but they both kept looking and called each other every couple days to compare findings. After a few weeks, Jack drove down and spent several days with Ennis. They sat across from one another at Ennis's only table, sharing a cigaret, each scanning a different newspaper. Jack paused, "Hey, look at this." He set the paper on the table, pushed it toward Ennis, and jabbed a finger at an ad. "This looks good."

Ennis picked up the paper and squinted at the ad. Jack had told him three times that morning alone to get glasses—every time, Ennis had told him to shut up. The paper folded itself over; Ennis straightened it and finished reading. "That is good..."

Jack grinned and put out their cigaret. "Don't cost too much either."

"That's true."

"Should I call 'bout this one?"

Ennis nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I think so. I'm going to shower."

"Alright." Jack reached for the phone.

Within a month, Jack and Ennis had bought a ranch a few towns over from Riverton. The previous owner had suddenly had to sell for whatever he could get. Jack went to the ranch. Ennis, meanwhile, had to drive into Riverton to pick his girls up for the weekend and—though he dreaded it—inform Alma that he'd be moving.

Junior sat backwards in a chair, staring out the window, waiting for her father. His truck stopped on the side of the street and she ran outside to meet him partway across the yard. "Hey, Daddy."

"Hey, Junior." He pet her hair then pulled out of her embrace. "Uh, where's Jenny?"

"She's on a trip with girlscouts all weekend."

"Oh. Alright, uh..." Ennis took a breath. "I need to talk to your mother."

Surprised, Junior nodded, led her father inside, and carefully closed the door. She turned and called into the house. "Hey, Mama? Uh, Daddy says he needs to talk to you."

Frowning suspiciously, Alma appeared in the doorway of the living room. "What do you want, Ennis?"

"I just need to tell you, I uh, I'm moving. To Crowheart. Just figured you should know." He shifted his weight nervously.

Alma folded her arms. "Moving? Did you lose your job again?" She sounded accusatory.

"No. I did not. Bought a place."

"With what money?"

Ennis hesitated. "I didn't buy it by myself." He looked out the window quickly. "Jack bought it with me."

Alma's chest puffed up and her eyes went wide. "You're moving _in_ with him?" After a deep breath she said to Junior, "Can you step out please?"

Junior sat on the arm of the couch. "No."

"Junior," Alma said warningly.

"I'm not leaving the room." She looked down and tugged at the hem of her shirt. "There's nothing you might say I don't know."

Alma stared at her daughter. Junior looked up and shrugged. "I know." She looked to her father. "I know about Jack."

"I know." Ennis was looking at the carpet.

Alma looked back and forth between Junior and Ennis a few times then turned on Ennis. "I will not allow my daughter to spend time with that man!"

"Too late, Mama. I've met him, I like him, he's nice. I know you hate him, I can't say I blame you, but you don't get to force that on me." With that, Junior stood, brushed past her mother, and went upstairs to get her things.

Dumbfounded and indignant, Alma looked at Ennis again, now with nothing to say.

"I didn't know 'til after the fact that she'd talked to Jack. I had no idea."

"When did—" Alma was shocked.

"Few months back." There was quiet a while. "'Bout a month ago, well, more like two, Jack got divorced, so he had to move anyway, an'..." He shrugged.

"Sure 'nough." Alma hugged herself.

Junior came back downstairs and she and Ennis left in silence. Sitting in the truck, staring out the window at the house across the street, Junior said, "I'm glad you an' Jack are moving in together."

Ennis nodded once and started the truck.

 

 


	15. In Which Ennis and Junior Talk

Over dinner that night, Junior asked, "So when exactly are you moving?"

"Not next weekend or the one after, but the one after that."

Junior nodded. "'Kay." There was a pause. "Jack already there?"

"Yeah, but he ain't livin' off much."

With a small smile, Junior popped a french fry into her mouth. "I figure he can manage."

Ennis snorted. "He's lived off worse."

Another silence settled over them. They were sitting at an old, worn picnic table outside a little hole in the wall restaurant. It was an odd time of day and there was no one else outside.

"Jack told you he told me?"

Ennis sighed. "Yeah... What with my bein' outta town and then you bein' on that field trip it's been a while since we seen each other, lot's happened."

"'M sure." A minute passed without words. "Just how bad did you blow up when he told you he'd told me?"

"I, uh," Ennis picked at his food, "I kinda kicked him outta my house."

Junior sighed. "Can't say I'm too surprised. Then what? You felt bad an' followed 'im back to Texas?"

"Pretty much." Ennis shifted uncomfortably. "Saw 'im nearly get killed."

Junior half choked on her soda. "What?!"

Ennis shushed her.

"Sorry," she said more quietly. "But what the hell? What happened? Is he okay?"

"Yeah, he's fine now, but, uh, look, we can talk more about this later, alright?"

She nodded.

When Junior returned home on Sunday, Alma was waiting for her on the porch. "So, how was your weekend?"

"It was good. We talked. You know, as much as we ever talk. It was good." With a little nod and half a shrug, Junior headed inside.

Alma followed her in silence up to her room.

"Whatever you're debating saying, Mama, just say it."

"Did you talk about _him_?"

Junior sat on her bed and looked at her mother. "Yeah. A little." She shrugged. "You're divorced and remarried. It's not any of your business anymore what they do. It's all awkward and weird and everything thinking 'bout Daddy and Jack bein'," she waved a hand vaguely, "you know, together, but really, to me, it isn't any more awkward than you and Bill. Least I know it isn't gonna mean any more half siblings to babysit." She stood and put a hand on her light switch. "Goodnight, Mama."


	16. In Which Junior Helps Her Daddy Move In

Move in day for Ennis was bright and warm with a soft breeze. There wasn't much to be moved in but plenty to be fixed—before having to sell, the previous owner had let the place fall into moderate disrepair and Jack had only gotten so much done on his own.

Halfway up a ladder to the roof of the small, shadowy porch, Jack looked around at the sound of a car turning onto their driveway. Ennis looked up too. "What the hell?"

Jack looked at him from his perch on the ladder. "What?"

"That's Alma's car."

"What the hell?"

The car parked and Junior stepped out of the driver's door. "Hey Daddy, Jack." She smiled.

The two men stared at her in disbelieving silence, glanced at each other, then continued staring. Ennis was the first to recover his voice. "What are you doing here?"

"I am helping you move."

"I don't think so." Ennis pulled his gloves on. "Go home, Junior."

"Oh, no." Junior sat on the hood of the yellow Buick, arms crossed. "I'm helping. If nothin' else, I'll cook for you. I know you can't cook, and I highly doubt he can cook—no offense, Jack—and it's easier to do anything when you've eaten good."

Ennis looked to Jack for some kind of support.

"No, no." Jack mounted the last few rungs and stood on the corner of the roof. "Your daughter, my mother's logic. I am not getting' into this. No way." He went over the crest of the roof and vanished from sight.

Junior beamed at her father. He sighed. "Fine. You can help. Just do not go up on the roof."

"Deal." She trotted over and hugged her father. "Honestly, I'm impressed you let him up there."

"He didn't wanna." Jack reappeared. "But I weigh less, so," he shrugged. "How'd you get your mama's car?"

"I threatened to walk here instead."

Jack laughed. Ennis shook his head. "You couldn't walk here from Riverton, it's something like fifty miles."

"Friend, you forget, she's got your stubborn streak." Jack laughed again. "I bet she could probably walk to San Francisco if she wanted to."

Outnumbered, Ennis grumbled and retreated inside. After a moment, Jack made a beckoning motion to Junior. "Get up here."

"But my daddy—"

"Is in the basement. I know what he was goin' to work on. Don't worry, this part ain't steep and I could actually use your help."

With just a moment of hesitation, Junior joined Jack on the roof. "Alright—whoa, this is high—what d'you need me to do?"

"Sit there." Jack pointed. "Hold these." He handed her a hammer and a box of nails.

Junior did as told and watched Jack replace broken hardwood shingles for a while, handing him nails or the hammer as needed. Tentatively, she said, "My daddy said that, uh, you kinda got beat up."

Jack froze a moment. "Yeah... Junior, I'd rather not talk about it."

"That's alright, I understand," she said quickly. "Just, I'm really glad you're okay."

"Well, thank you." He paused. "You know, if you hadn't called, we hadn't talked, Ennis hadn't thrown me out—if just about anything that happened hadn't—I definitely might not be here."

Junior set aside the box of nails and hugged Jack tight. "I am _so_ glad you're okay."

Jack hugged her back a while then pulled away. "Why d'you care so much about me?" He hung his head guiltily and ran a hand through his hair. "If it weren't for me, your parents'd still be married. I," he shrugged lamely, "I ruined your family _."_ For a long moment Junior chewed her lower lip. "I don't think so... I mean, you may have sped things up, there's really no saying you played no part in, well," she waved a hand, "everything. But my daddy and mama are _so_ different. He's stubborn, you know that, and kinda rough. She's quiet, so quiet, and just," Junior paused to search for the right word, "soft. They're polar opposites, always have been far back as I can remember. Hardly never quite see eye to eye on mucha anything, 'specially me an' Jenny. I think, eventually, things woulda gone to hell no matter what." She looked at Jack, who was still rather sullen, and leaned against him. "As far as these things go, I figure it's for the better that you have been a part of it. Else, my daddy'd be alone, which he's been too much already in his life, and it ain't good for 'im. You, though, I think are good for 'im. Hell, I know you are. Besides all that, you are just really, really hard to not like."

Jack snorted in a distinctly non-laugh way. "Thank you. You had best get off the roof 'fore your daddy get's back out here."

"Right."

  


 


	17. In Which There is a Moment of Domestic Fluff

Junior woke suddenly and looked around, confused that she wasn't in her room. Within a moment she remembered: she was at her father's and Jack's new house. She got out of bed and went down the hallway then the stairs to the kitchen. After o glass of water and some bread, she went back upstairs. Halfway down the hallway she paused, her eyes and thoughts drawn to the plain, brown, wood door behind which lay the master bedroom. She walked over and put her ear to the door. Silence behind. She put a hand on the knob and found it unlocked. Slowly and tentatively, she opened the door.

Jack was laying somewhere between on his back and on his side, his head tucked to his lower shoulder, one arm half around Ennis who had wound up with his forehead against Jack's hair, one hand on his chest, the other on his waist. One, or maybe both, of them had kicked the sheets down to about their knees. They reminded Junior of a pair of giant puppies. Smiling to herself, she shut the door as quietly she could and went back to bed.

She lay awake for a while, thinking. She mumbled to herself, "If he were a dog, Jack would be... a Jack Russell." She smiled. It was too perfect. She rolled over. "Daddy'd be… Some kind of gundog…." Shortly after that, she fell back asleep.

When Junior next awoke, pale sunlight was filtering in from outside. She sat up and blinked, then, muffled through the walls from two rooms over, she heard Jack laugh and her father snap that something wasn't funny.

Junior got up, padded down the hall, and stuck her head in. "What happened?"

"Your daddy hit himself in the face with the closet door." Jack, sitting on the bed, still in his pajamas, started laughing again, leaning hard on his elbows on his knees with his face in his hands. A pair of wadded up socks bounced harmlessly off his head after being chucked across the room by a rather cross and sore Ennis.

"I'm gonna make breakfast." Junior shut the door, ran downstairs, then burst out laughing as soon as she was in the kitchen.

  


 


	18. In Which Junior Tells Some Jerks Off

It was the last week of school. Finals were over but classes. A few teachers were still trying to teach. Junior's physics teacher was not one of them.

Junior and Lori had filled a notebook with tic-tac-toe, hangman, and MASH, then Lori had fallen asleep on her desk. Now Junior was doodling dogs wearing cowboy hats—a Jack Russell terrier and a Labrador. Slowly she became aware of a conversation going on behind her.

"Hey, Clairmont," said a rather unfriendly voice. "Why don't you join the wrestling team next year?"

"I'm not a wrestler." Stephan Clairmont, a tall, handsome, quiet boy Junior had known vaguely since third grade, sitting in the next row back, surrounded by football players.

"You don't think you'd _enjoy_ it?"

"No, I'm not a wrestler, nor do I want to be."

"I think he'd like it," one jock said to another. "Maybe too much." They snickered. "Or wait, that's why you don't wanna, ain't it? 'Fraid you couldn't control yourself and everybody'd see–sproing–" he made a rude gesture, "how much you _like_ it?"

The pigs laughed. Junior stood so fast her chair fell over. She whirled around, slammed her hand — flat and loud — on the desk of the boy who'd last spoken. "Shut your disgusting ignorant traps and leave him the hell alone."

Silence fell among the group, six pairs of eyes — Stephan's, Lori's, and the boys'– fixed on Junior. As he recovered from his initial shock, the lead pig smirked indulgently. "Miss Delmar, you must not have understood our joke. Clairmont's queer, c'mon, you get it, wrestling, right? It's funny."

"No, it ain't funny, Jordan. I don't care if Stephan, or anybody, is queer, or gay, or trans-whatever-the-hell. You're an asshole and you should mind your own business."

"But James _saw_ him and—"

"I do not care," Junior snapped at Jordan's idiot friend, "who James saw with whom or what he saw them doing. It ain't no reason to be jerks."

"Why d'you even care?" another of Jordan's friends asked. "Are _you_ a freak too?"

"He ain't a freak and no, I'm not. I like boys, once upon a time I thought you were cute, then I realized you're a mean S.O.B." She leaned on the desk. "I care because I know a guy, not in Riverton, someone from way outta town, I met him one time while I was with my Daddy. You'd call 'im queer 'cause he's in love with a man, lives with a man, but you know what? He could kick all your sorry asses! None of you know anything. One out of—I think it's s'posed to be—ten guys is what you'd call queer. Well, there's about two-hundred guys at this school, so there's probably about twenty who like other guys. You don't know who it is, could be anybody, and you don't care unless you think you know. You're such stupid, goddamn idiots!"

"Alma!" The teacher had finally noticed the commotion. "I hope you have a very good reason for having said that, young lady."

Junior turned and without missing a beat said, "He slept with Cynthia Bray, sir, if you know what I mean, _and_ they didn't use protection. I'm just shocked Jordan didn't know better than to do that kinda thing."

The bell rang, releasing the class and ending the day while Jordan was dragged down to the counselor's office. There was nothing he could do. Junior had merely repeated what he and Cynthia had been bragging about all that Monday.

Stephan caught Junior just off campus as she walked home. "Hey, uh, thanks. You didn't have to do that."

Junior nodded and shrugged. "I couldn't have not said something."

"Thank you, still."

She smiled, shrugged again, and hesitated. "Are you—?"

"Yeah." He looked at his feet.

Junior took his hand. "That's just fine.

He smiled and looked at her. "Thank you." He paused. "Do you really know somebody?"

"Yeah." Junior laughed. "And he really could kick their asses."

Stephan grinned. "That's way cool."

  


 


	19. In Which the Crowheart Ranch Gets Some Horses

Eight-hundred miles away in Childress, school was also letting out.

"Hey, Bobby!" David, one of Bobby's friends called, jogging up to him from across the parking lot. "Next week, once school's out, my dad's taking me an' my brothers camping. You wanna come?"

Bobby shrugged, one hand on the door handle of his truck. "Can't."

"Why?" David leaned on the truck.

"I'm gonna be in Wyoming, with my dad."

"Oh yeah, I forgot your folks split. Hey, can you give me a ride home?"

"Sure." Bobby yanked the door open.

While they waited at a red light David asked, "D'you know what happened? Between your folks, I mean."

"No clue. It's weird, it don't feel like a whole lot has changed."

"That probably says somethin' 'bout your home life."

Bobby snorted.

* * *

 

Jack fell heavily into bed. He and Ennis had spent the day buying horses from a bankrupt ranch, then getting the horses home. Much cursing had been involved.

"Today's the last day of school."

"Yeah? Ain't Bobby coming next week?" Ennis bit at a hangnail.

"Yeah." Jack stretched. "You wanna shower?"

"Huh?"

"You wanna shower?" He got up and hugged Ennis from behind. " _Together_?"

"Oh." Ennis shivered as Jack started to undo the buttons of his shirt. "Yeah."

* * *

 

Junior got out of the car and trotted over to the fence of the pasture. "Daddy!" She waved.

Ennis looked up, paused, and waved back. He didn't seem particularly surprised to see her.

"Where's Jack?"

"Inside."

"'Kay; love ya, Daddy!" She went inside to find Jack leaning on the kitchen counter, eating a sandwich and reading the newspaper.

Hearing her come in, he looked up, and smiled. "Hey there, Junior."

"Hey." She smiled back.

"Out of school so you thought you'd just drop in outta nowhere?"

"Pretty much, hope that's okay."

"Of course. I'm starting to expect it from you." He set the paper aside. "Guess you saw we got horses."

"I did, they're beautiful. How many are there?"

"Seven, four mares, two geldings, and a stallion."

"That's so cool." Junior pulled out a chair from under the kitchen table and sat. "What are you two gonna do with the horses, other than keep 'em?"

"Maybe give riding lessons or something—if Ennis can be talked into it. I'd rather we didn't have outside jobs in the long run."

"Makes sense. So, why's Daddy out there fixin' the fence?"

"The stallion busted an old rail just playin' around."

"Oh, wow." Junior laughed. "Can you show me the horses?"

"Yeah, c'mon."

Junior linked her arm through Jack's and walked outside with him.

Later that day, the phone rang. Jack answered it. "Hello?" He paused. "Mama?"

The conversation went on a bit, then Jack said, "I guess you can come over." He threw a questioning look at Ennis, who shrugged. "Yeah, that's fine. I'll see you in a couple days."

Jack hung up a sentence or two later. "So, everybody's just comin' over this week. Ennis, why don't you call your brother?"

"You had best be joking."

"Daddy, why haven't I ever met my uncle?"

Ennis tried to form an answer but was interrupted by Jack. "Wait, you have never met your uncle?"

Junior shook her head. "Not ever. Met Daddy's sister a few times 'round the holidays, mostly when I was little, and my Mama's sister is in Riverton so I know her an' her family, but I've never met my uncle."

"Christ, Ennis, I know you an' K.E. don't get along, but this is crazy." Jack shook his head.

 

 


	20. In Which Bobby Visits Crowheart for the First Time

"Please, Daddy, I know how to ride."

"I told you, I don't know these horses yet..."

"Daddy, c'mon."

The father-daughter argument was interrupted by Jack returning from picking his mother up from the bus stop. Once out of the truck, Sue motioned Ennis over and hugged him. "Good to see you again, Ennis." She noticed Junior. "And who is this pretty young thing?"

Junior looked down bashfully.

"This is Ennis's daughter, Junior. Junior, this is my mother, Sue."

Barely glancing up, Junior mumbled a "Nice to meet you," at her shoes.

"Well, Junior, it's nice to meet you too." Sue smiled and patted the girl's shoulder.

Junior continued to be painfully shy until lunch time, when she found herself bonding with Sue over the men's inability to cook.

While Junior and Sue bonded, Jack and Ennis were working out in the stable. Jack leaned against the open tackroom door. "Ennis, we might have a problem."

"What are you talkin' about?"

"Including ours, there are three bedrooms in this house. Junior and my mama are here _and_ Bobby'll be here in a couple days."

"Shit, I hadn't thought of that." Ennis snapped shut the lid on a feed bin. "For now it's alright, Junior and your mama both know, but—"

"My mama knows?" Jack was staring at Ennis, slightly open mouthed.

"Uh, you didn't know she knows?"

"No."

"Shit... Well, she knows."

"Since when?" Jack crossed his arms.

"Since I was up at Lightning Flat. She right out asked me."

"Shit..." Jack took a deep breath and shook his head. "Alright then. That does make things simpler, but there's still Bobby."

Ennis shook his head and rubbed Jack's shoulder. "I dunno what to tell you."

"I think I have to tell him."

"Jack, I—"

"I don't _want_ to tell him, but," he shrugged and sighed, "I do not want to lie to him and there's no way to do neither."

Ennis chewed his lower lip. "He's your son, I guess..."

Two days later, Bobby arrived in the pale green truck he'd gotten for his birthday the month before. He hopped out, gravel crunching under his boots, walked up to the porch and paused when Sue appeared in the doorway. "Grandma?"

"Hello, Bobby." She smiled and hugged her grandson. "Let me look at ya." She held him at arms length a moment. "Oh, you've gotten so big. You look just like your father did at your age."

"Thanks, Grandma."

"Get in here, we're just having lunch."

Bobby came inside, greeted and hugged his father, then glanced pointedly at the two DelMars. Jack took the hint. "This is Ennis and his daughter, Junior. She's visitin' like you are."

Ennis nodded at Bobby once and was mostly ignored—Bobby and Junior were eyeing one another like a pair of unfriendly horses put in the same pasture. If it weren't so nervewracking it would have been funny.

After a short silence, Junior asked, "How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"I'm older."

"So?" Bobby leaned on the table.

Junior shrugged and stood. "I am."

"Well, I'm taller."

"That don't count, you're a boy."

"What's my bein' a boy got to do with anything?"

"Boys tend to be taller, so it don't count that yer taller," Junior said matter of factly and left the room.

Bobby looked at his father. "What just happened?"

"Teenaged girl logic in one of its more understandable forms."

"Girls are weird." Bobby sat in an empty chair and started on the plate of food set in front of him by his grandmother.

"They never start to make any more sense, either." Jack took a sip of his drink.

"Is that why you're here now?" Bobby asked quickly.

Every adult eye in the room went to Bobby, then four of them went to Jack.

Jack paused then took a breath. "We can talk about that later, I promise."

Bobby nodded. "Alright."

 

 

 


	21. In Which Bobby Reacts Badly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some rough language in this chapter, be warned.

"C'mere Bobby." Jack put an arm around his son and steered him to the living room. Ennis, who had been sitting in an armchair whittling, rose and started to leave the room. Jack caught him by the shirt. "Oh, no. You are part of this. Stay." Jack turned to Bobby who'd sat on the couch. "I told you we'd talk, so let's talk."

Bobby nodded. "What happened? What changed; why'd you leave?"

Jack took a deep breath and explained how things had been drifting between him and Lureen for years and then glanced at Ennis. "And, Bobby, part of all that, and why I'm here now is," he took a breath and, out of the corner of his eye, saw Ennis tense, "because Ennis and I, uh, we," he paused and ran a hand over his face. "We're involved."

" _Involved_?"

"I hesitate to say romantically, but that's the general idea."

Bobby's mouth fell open in horrified disbelief as he glanced quickly between his father and Ennis. "You're joking. You _have_ to be joking. Tell me you're joking."

"I wouldn't joke like this, Bobby."

"You left my mother for a man?!" Bobby got to his feet without noticing he had.

"It's a lot more complicated than that, but yes."

"The fuck is wrong with you?!"

Jack flinched as if struck and stood slowly. "Bobby," he said almost too calmly. "I know this isn't easy for you but, just, it's a complicated situation and—"

"Why would you do this?!"

"Because I love him, Robert!"

Ennis looked at the floor. He was leaning against the wall near the door to the kitchen. Just then, Junior came through the other door, frowning, having heard the shouting from upstairs.

Bobby snorted. "This ain't new, is it? You _cheated_."

"I have done all I can to not hurt anyone and still keep myself sane. Yes, I cheated, and I am anything but proud of it. You are old enough to know how it feels to want to be with someone and not be able to, and I know you've had your heart broken—I think the same girl is responsible for all that. I have been livin' feelin' like that for as long as you have been alive. This is the best way I can fix things. It's still crap, I know, but it's better than me an Ennis both bein' miserable an' me goin' 'round behind your mama's back. Can you just _try_ to understand that I'm doing my best to do things right?"

"There ain't nothing right 'bout you shacking up with some queer," Bobby spat.

A loud crack sounded through the room. Eyes wide, Bobby put a hand to his now stinging cheek. Junior had crossed the short distence between them and smacked him, hard. "Don't you dare," she hissed, "ever call my daddy that again."

Bobby stared at her a moment then sneered. "Stay out of this."

"I am part of this!" She stomped her foot.

"Bullshit."

"Bobby, please—"

"Jack," Ennis began.

"Shut up, faggot."

Junior grabbed the front of Bobby's shirt, Ennis clenched his fists, and Jack said, "Bobby!" all at the same time.

"What the devil is going on in here?" Sue had been in the kitchen and now appeared in the doorway. Silence fell under her scowl. "Sit. All of you." She crossed her arms and watched her orders be obeyed. "Jack, Ennis, you're supposed to be adults, act like it. This whole situation should not have gone this far downhill this fast. Bobby, you are being unreasonable and not just rude but absolutely mean. You're not listening or making any attempt to understand. Your father is trying to talk to you about something that is very uncomfortable for him. It would be a lot easier for him to lie to you, but he respects you enough not to. Ennis is a good man and he loves your father. I'm gonna talk to you more in a minute. Junior, did you smack him?"

Junior looked down. "Yes ma'am."

"Violence is not the first thing you should resort to but I say every woman ought to have a good arm on her. Bobby, come into the kitchen, we're gonna talk."

Sullenly, Bobby followed his grandmother out of the room. Jack closed his eyes, slumped forward and hid his face in his hands. Ennis put an arm around him. Feeling awkward, Junior slunk back upstairs.

 

 


	22. In Which Junior Talks to Bobby

Late that night, Junior came downstairs. Bobby had a bed made up on the couch but he wasn't asleep. He looked up when she walked into the room. She sat on the arm of the couch near his feet. "Listen, I'm sorry I slapped you but you were outta line. Neither of our fathers is queer—if they were we probably wouldn't exist."

Bobby rolled his eyes and turned away from her.

"I really like your daddy, you know. He's a great guy, funny, and nice." Bobby stayed silent so she continued. "He thinks I ought to hate him. But I don't."

"Why not?"

"Because I think that, in the end, they're better off together. Bobby, we're in the same boat, only difference is my parents been divorced longer. I can tell you: none of this has anything to do with you. Jack hates how upset you are. He feels really bad. He thinks that how much anybody's been hurt by this thing with him and my daddy is all his own fault."

Bobby just looked at her. She looked at him too. The clock in the kitchen ticked hollowly a while.

"Is part of why you're freaking out so bad 'cause you're thinking that if your dad likes guys, you might too?"

"What? No, I wasn't thinking that at all."

Junior raised one eyebrow. "Anyway, it probably doesn't."

"I don't wanna talk about this."

"Fine. But just get over yourself," she said gently then left.

* * *

Breakfast the next morning was extremely awkward. No one talked. Bobby stared at his food, as did Junior. Jack and Ennis sat next to each other in silence, knees touching under the table. Sue was the closest to normal, though she didn't say a word either.

Ennis finished his food, stood, dropped his plate in the sink, let his hand rest a moment on Jack's shoulder, then went outside. After Ennis left, the place on Jack's shoulder where his hand had been felt very cold.

Bobby snorted at his bacon and received a sharp but not very hard kick from the girl sitting next to him.

Jack finished eating and went outside as well. He walked down the hill behind the house to the stable, found Ennis in the tack room and hugged him hard. After a moment of surprise, Ennis hugged Jack back.

They stayed like that a while then went about their chores.

 

 


	23. In Which Stephan's Best Friend Comes to Visit

Jenny was the first one to the phone. She called up the stairs, "Junior! It's for you, and it's a boy!"

Junior took the stairs two at a time and took the phone from her sister. "Hello?"

"Hey, Junior."

"Stephan?" She paused. "You know my phone number?"

He chuckled. "They're called phone books."

"Oh, right. So, uh, what's up?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to go to the fairgrounds on Thursday. My...best friend is gonna be in town, if you wanna meet him."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, if you don't mind."

"No, I'd kinda like to actually be able to have _someone_ meet him."

"Okay. See you then, I guess."

* * *

When Junior got to the fairgrounds, Stephan was sitting on the tailgate of an unfamiliar yellow truck with a tall, athletic-looking boy whose bronze hair was slightly spiked up. Stephan waved and got to his feet as Junior drew near. "Hey, there." He smiled.

"Hey." She smiled back and looked at the tall boy. "So..."

"Oh, uh, this is Hunter." Stephan smiled at him. "And Hunter, this is Junior."

Hunter grinned. "Nice to meet you."

Junior blinked, surprised by Hunter's accent or, rather, his lack of accent. "Where are you from?"

"California. San Francisco."

"Oh, wow."

Stephan made a sound in his throat.  "You're from Arizona."

"Not anymore." Hunter hopped out of the bed of the truck. He was _very_ tall. "So, do you think we should hit the go karts or the arcade first?"

Junior and Stephan answered in unison. "Go karts!"

"Sounds good." Hunter poked Stephabn's shoulder. "You're buying me lunch if I win."

"Oh, I don't think so."

Junior couldn't help but laugh.

All day, Junior found herself noticing little hints that Stephan and Hunter were more than friends. They were all very small things—a little too long of a glance, a little too bright of a smile, a little too soft of a touch—things Junior wasn't sure she'd have noticed if she didn't already know. But noticed or not, they were there and someone _could_ notice them. Junior realized that things were probably the same with her father and Jack; no matter how careful they were, there'd still be little things they couldn't help. And that's what her father was scared of.

Hunter waved a hand in front of Junior's face. "Earth to Junior?"

She blinked. "Huh?"

"You have been sitting there with your straw in your mouth, not drinking for a full three minutes." He tapped the face of his watch. "I counted."

"Oh, sorry." She quickly set her milkshake down. "Just thinking about stuff. Hey, where's Stephan?"

"Bathroom."

"Oh."

"Hey, listen." Hunter dropped his voice to barely above a whisper. "Thank you. For being friends with him, for being cool about us, just everything. I mean, in California it's not _too_ hard to find understanding people, at least not in San Francisco—just walk to the Haight—but the farther you get from the city, well," he shrugged. It means a lot."

"Well, you're welcome."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Haight is how many people at least used to refer to the area surrounding the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood in San Francisco which borders on Castro street. Castro is the center of the city's so-called "gay village" and the nearby neighborhoods are home to many non-heteronormative individuals and former hippies.  
> Thank you for reading this educational footnote.


	24. In Wich Bobby Visits Again

Bobby had taken the bus this time and asked not to be picked up. He wanted to have the walk from the bus station to brace himself. His first visit had been awkward and he was dreading the week ahead of him. He had tried to avoid coming but his mother had insisted. Warily he made his way down the gravel driveway. He stopped in the yard in front of the house. His father's truck wasn't there. Concerned, he looked around.

Just then, Ennis came around the corner of the house and stopped. "Oh, hey."

"Where's my dad?" Bobby shifted the strap of his dufflebag on his shoulder.

"Post office."

"Right, well, uh, I'll just put my stuff inside."

Ennis nodded and Bobby ducked inside. The house made Bobby uncomfortable. It was full of evidence of his father's living with Ennis; the two jackets hanging on pegs by the door were the worst. Bobby went upstairs and dropped his bag in the room his grandmother had stayed in the last time he was there. He was about to go back downstairs when the slightly open door at the end of the hall caught his attention and filled him with sick curiosity. He hesitated then went into the bedroom. The bed was rumpled and unmade, the closet door was half open, revealing a discombobulated mess of shirts and jeans inside, and there was a loose pile of laundry in the corner of the room. Bobby grimaced, wondering what had driven him into the room. He quickly turned himself around, went back downstairs, then outside. Without anything else to do, he headed down to the stable where he was greeted by a skinny tortoiseshell cat. He picked her up and leaned against the wall. Ennis appeared in the doorway at the far end of the stable having just led a horse out to pasture. Upon seeing Bobby he paused, walked the length of the stable, leaned on the wall across from him, and sighed.

Bobby held the cat closer to his chest and petted her. "I'm just gonna say what we're both thinkin': This is awkward. We don't like each other an'—"

Ennis interrupted him. "I like you just fine; it's your attitude I've got an issue with."

Bobby fell silent, petting the purring cat. A moment passed. "She got a name?"

"Honey."

With a half amused snort, Bobby gave Ennis a disbelieving look. "Honey?"

Ennis shrugged. "Jack found her; he named her." He pushed off from the wall and went into the stall of a heavily pregnant chestnut mare.

Bobby went and stood just outside the stall's half door. "When's he gonna get back?"

"Dunno. Depends on how long everything takes at the post office."

"What's he at the post office for?"

"Mail."

"No, really? I never would have guessed." Ennis glared at Bobby and he shrank. "Sorry."

"He's mailin' something and buyin' stamps."

Honey clambered halfway onto Bobby's shoulder.

"What are you guys doin' for money, anyway?"

"Well, for one thing this place had a buncha chickens when we bought it and there's a weekly market in town so we make some money off a that. We're both working odd jobs from time to time, favors for neighbors, stuff like that."

"So how much are you making?"

"Enough to live on. I don't know details, I'm no good with finances an' stuff so your dad takes care of all that. He had some saved up, anyway, an' when he, uh, moved back from Texas he got some from your grandfather so I know we can't be too broke."

"Sounds like you're just mooching off of him." Honey jumped out of Bobby's arms.

"He's just about always had more money than me." Ennis was very quiet. Bobby didn't know what name to put to the feeling in Ennis's voice or how to respond.

Ennis went into another stall, put a bridle on the dun stallion and started to lead it out. Bobby followed wordlessly. After another couple trips back and forth, Bobby leaned on the fence while Ennis frowned at the latch on the gate. "So why do you live with my dad?"

Ennis picked a stone out of the latch and straightened up. "I know from experience I'm miserable livin' without him."

"Are you aware of how cheesy that sounds?"

"Painfully."

Bobby kicked a rock. "I just don't get it."

"Truth be told, neither do I." He took a breath and let it out. "When I met Jack, we were both nineteen—still just stupid kids but we thought we were grown up. I was engaged to the prettiest girl I thought I was ever gonna meet, wedding date set an' everything. Sayin' I never thought things'd turn out like they did hardly covers it. I pretty much never thought about things turning out like that for anybody. And then," he shrugged, "that's how things went. Nothin' to be done about it, no goin' back. Believe me I tried."

Bobby was quiet. "How did you meet him?"

Ennis explained about working for Aguirre. "Partway through the summer your father's good sense went to hell and took mine with it."

"Was alcohol involved in that?"

"Yeah..."

"Remind me never to drink."

"Why do I feel like you already have?"

Bobby fumbled for a response but was rescued by the appearance of his father's truck. He and Ennis went to meet him. Ennis crossed his arms as Jack got out of his truck. "What in blazes took you so long?"

"There was a line. And," Jack grabbed a bag out of the bed of the truck and shoved it on Ennis, "I went to the grocery store. You can thank me later. And Bobby, I wasn't expecting you to be around 'til later this afternoon."

"Caught an earlier bus." Bobby scuffed his boot in the dirt.

"So you two been here alone together?" Jack's question was met with nodding. "My mama musta been prayin' else I can't explain that neither a you got black eyes."

"Jack."

"I'm joking. Mostly."

Later that evening, Bobby was downstairs with his father while Ennis showered.

"You know, I think, maybe, he might not be quite so bad."

Jack looked up. "Really?"

Bobby shrugged.

"Well, I'm glad you think so."

"Still think you're outta your mind."

Jack put an arm around his son. "You might be right about that."

 

 


	25. In Which Plans are Made for the Fourth

"Hey, Mama? D'you think we could have fireworks for the Fourth?"

"Oh, Jenny, honey, I don't know, the homeowners' association really doesn't want anybody to have anything more than sparklers."

Lounging on the couch, Junior took a swig from her bottle of root beer. "I was gonna drive to Daddy's day after tomorrow and stay a couple days. They got plenty a room. I know they've got fireworks. Already bought 'em."

Jenny's eyes lit up. "Can I come?"

"He's your daddy too." Ignoring a sharp look from her mother, Junior set her bottle down. Jenny bounced excitedly on he knees where she was sitting on the floor.

Bill appeared in the doorway. He seemed to have heard the conversation from the hallway. "Aren't you at least going to ask if you can use your mother's car before making plans like that?"

"She uses it more than I do, Bill." Alma viciously smoothed a corner of a picture in the scrapbook she was working on. "I sure don't like her up and driving all that way often as she does, but it's not because I miss the car."

Jenny crossed her arms, not quite pouting. "You aren't gonna keep us from seein' our daddy for the holiday, are you? I mean, I haven't really seen him in months."

Bill looked to Alma, but she kept her eyes on her scrapbooking. "No, I suppose you're right. Go on, then."

The next morning, Junior shut herself in her room with the phone, dialed the Crowheart number. Her father picked up on the fifth ring. "Hello?"

"Hey, Daddy."

There was a pause. "Junior, what are you doin' callin' at seven in the morning?"

"Needed to talk to you, figured you'd actually be somewhere near a phone since 'bout now is when you seem to tend to have breakfast over there."

Ennis leaned on the wall. She had a point. "Well, what d'you need to talk about?"

"I'm drivin' up tomorrow, you know that. Well, Jenny's coming with me. Thought you'd like some advance warning."

"Oh." Ennis waved Jack over to listen in. "Thanks for the heads up."

Junior wound her fingers in the phone cord. "She's really excited to see you. It's been quite a while just 'cause a how things have been. She wants to see the ranch, the horses... She, uh, she wants to see Jack. Remembers havin' seen 'im that one time." She paused. "Twist, are you on the line?"

"Uh, I'm sharin' a phone with your father."

"Kinda wish I could see that." She rolled her eyes. "Probably good you're hearin' this. Anyway Daddy, I think you need to tell her too."

Ennis closed his eyes. "Don't want to but I think you're right."

It can probably wait 'til the fifth. Main reason she wanted to come at first was 'cause we can't have fireworks here in Riverton. So, I mean, she's fifteen, but she's not that stupid, she'd notice on her own eventually, but a day an' a half with the distraction of blowin' stuff up ought to be fine."

"Alright, well, thanks for callin'. See you tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye, Daddy. Bye, Jack."

"Bye, sweetheart."

Ennis hung up and sighed. "Jack kissed his cheek. "C'mon, Ennis, be glad yer gonna see her. Worry about the rest later."

Twenty six hours later, Junior and Jenny set out for Crowheart. They talked, sang along to the radio, and wound up stopping for gas in Morton about halfway there. In the convenience store at the gas station, Jenny found Fourth of July novelty cowboy hats on sale. They were covered in sequins, some of them were red, some were blue, and they all had a pattern of silver stars.

"Junior, I think I need them."

Junior looked at her sister, then at the hats, then in her wallet, then at the sale sign. They were half off, barely more than a dollar each. The clerk looked at the sisters rather oddly when they came to the counter with five of the hats.

When the girls got to the ranch around ten-thirty, Jack and Ennis were outside waiting for them. Jenny leapt out of the car and ran to her father, who swept her up into the air before setting her back on her feet.

"I missed you, Daddy."

"Missed you too, Little Darlin'."

While her sister continued to hug their father to an extent fitting how long they'd been apart, Junior walked over to Jack with two of the hats. "We bought presents." She grinned, put the red one of the hats she was holding on her own head, removed his hat and replaced it with a blue sparkly one.

He laughed and took his hat from her by the brim. "Why, thank you."

The girls settled into the room they'd be sharing, everyone had sandwiches for lunch, and Jenny was taken on a tour of the place. The chestnut mare had given birth the week before and it was hard to say who was more thrilled by the other, they bandy-legged foal or the girls.

As the sun set, Junior said, "Jenny, you gonna help me make dinner?"

"You cook here?" Jenny looked bemused.

"If I don't cook, we'll be having sandwiches again."

"Not tomorrow, though," Jack said, putting the sequined hat Ennis had just taken off back on him again for at least the dozenth time. "Gonna build a fire tomorrow and I can actually cook worth somethin' outside of a kitchen."

"No, you can't." Ennis removed the hat.

"Yes, I can. I said worth somethin', not worth much."

The girls both laughed,

That night, Junior and Jenny went to bed while the men were finishing a few evening chores—like laundry. Laying in her bed in the dark, Jenny spoke to her sister. "I'm so happy to see Daddy."

"I know. I know you missed him."

"And you're right, Jack is nice. And really funny."

"I've told you." Junior chuckled.

"And the horses. I _love_ the horses. Remind me all their names?"

"The baby is Springer. His mama is Lady. The paint is Frida. The Dun is Diego. The white one—sorry, no, she's not actually white, she just looks white; Jack says she's actually gray—anyway, her name is Blizzard. The silver dapple is Chessman. The Arabian is Velvet. And the cremello is Princely."

"I like Frida."

"She's sweet. But, go to sleep."

"Alright, alright." Jenny giggled and rolled over.

 

 


	26. In Which There are Literal Fireworks

When Jack and Ennis returned from their first-light chores the next morning, they found the girls—having not so much a food fight as a food wrestling match—trying to shove fresh made toast into each other's mouths. They paused guiltily when the men came in but when no reproachment came, they continued squealing and laughing on the kitchen floor as Jack and Ennis leaned on the counter, watching and eating.

"Safe to say they don't do this at their mama's?"

Ennis nodded.

Later in the morning, not long before lunch, Bobby arrived and promptly had a sequined hat shoved on his head by Junior. He gave her a look. Wearing his own novelty hat, Ennis said, "Just give in. They will not let you take it off."

"They?"

"My, my sister, and your daddy." Junior flicked a finger against the brim of her hat.

Bobby blinked. "Your sister is here."

"Yeah, Jenny." She glanced around and continued quietly. "Stuff hasn't been told to her yet, so shush."

"Right."

After a lunch of instant ramen, the kids were set to work running around gathering sticks with which to build a fire while Jack and Ennis dealt with the horses and the chickens and the cat. Later in the afternoon, once the fire had been built but not lit, Jack brought a box of fireworks up from the basement. "Alright, this is going to stay all the way over here"—he set the box down roughly thirty feet from the pile of wood—"and is not going to get any closer to the fire." He tossed a tube of sparklers to his son, who grinned.

As the sun set, the kids were already chasing each other around with sparklers, stopping occasionally to pick up knocked off hats. The fire was lit, bacon and hot dogs were set to cook. Jenny grabbed her father's arm. "Can we light the fireworks now?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Way aheada ya." Jack had walked a ways away. He pulled a lighter out of his pocket and set off a firework that screeched into the air and exploded in a shower of red sparks.

Jenny squealed with delight, Bobby whooped, Junior laughed, and Ennis ate a hot dog, quietly pleased.

After a couple more had been set off, the lighter was passed to Bobby to light the Roman candles and lanterns from the box—one or two at a time. Junior even managed to get a hold of the lighter long enough to ignite a strand of firecrackers.

Once the meat had all been eaten, a bag of marshmallows was brought out along with some unbent wire coat hangers.

"Hey, can you pass me that?" Jenny pointed to a tube of sparklers. Jack handed it to her. She took out four, stuck their wire handled in the ground so the tips were all together like a teepee, lit them, and held her marshmallow over them.

Ennis looked at her little set up. "What are you doing?"

"Roasting a marshmallow more interestingly."

"Is that safe?"

She shrugged. "None of the warning labels say these things are toxic."

Ennis look at Jack; they both shrugged. Before long, everyone had sparkler-roasted at least one marshmallow. Ennis had even lit a cigaret with a sparkler, which turned out to be much more difficult than one would expect.

When everyone finally went inside for the night, no one bothered to look at a clock. It was late and that was as much as they needed to know. The kids all went straight to bed. Jack and Ennis each showered then fell into bed together. Jack rolled over and kissed Ennis. "Happy Independence Day."

Ennis ran a hand through Jack's hair and kissed him back. "You too."

 

 

 


	27. In Which Jenny Finds Out About Her Father and Jack

Jenny looked back and forth between her father and Jack several times. "Explain one more time."

Ennis had already explained twice but Jenny was clearly not grasping what he was telling her. He glanced at Jack and took a breath to begin again but was interceded by his older daughter. "Daddy, let me help you." Junior leaned on the kitchen table and looked at her sister. "Jack is Daddy's boyfriend."

Jenny stared at her sister a long moment, looked at Ennis, then at Jack, then back to her sister. "Boyfriend?"

Junior nodded. "Boyfriend."

"Like _boyfriend_ boyfriend?"

"What other kind of boyfriend is there?"

Jenny turned to her father. "He's your boyfriend?"

"Uh..." Ennis had gone a bit deer in headlights.

Jack looked at him and leaned back in his chair. "I guess I am."

"I think—I think I must be missin' something still." Jenny looked around at the other three people in the room.

There was a stretch of silence. They heard the front door open and close, followed by footsteps. Bobby stuck his head in the kitchen. "This whole thing done yet?"

Junior shook her head. Bobby rolled his eyes and went to the fridge.

"Seriously though." Jenny looked lost.

Ennis shrugged. "I dunno what to tell you, Darlin'."

"Jack is to Daddy as Bill is to Mama." Junior started braiding her hair.

"I am not following."

Bobby kicked the fridge closed. "Did you never get the whole birds-bees discussion thing?"

Junior tied off her braid. "Probably not. Our mama sent her to me when she was ten and asked what menstruation was."

"That did happen but I did too get that discussion but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Like I said, Jack is to Daddy as Bill is to Mama."

"That don't make any sense though!" Jenny banged her hand flat on the table.

Bobby opened a can of soda. "This is gonna take all day."

Jack sighed and looked for a moment like he might be praying, kissed Ennis, and went to the fridge himself. Ennis was stunned. Jenny gaped. "Oh." She slumped on the table. "I think I get it now. Except, yer both guys."

"It happens." Jack kicked the fridge closed and did with a beer what his son had done with a soda.

"That can happen?" Everyone nodded at her. "I had no idea that could happen." She took a breath. "And that is definitely what's happening here?"

"Yes." Without looking, Ennis accepted the beer Jack was holding out to him.

"Guess you'd know."

Jenny spent the rest of the day in a sort of daze. By the next morning, she had recovered and wanted to know all there was to know about the story behind her father and Jack. It didn't take long for her to figure out that getting her father to tell her was more trouble than it was worth, so she followed Jack around while he worked.

"Here. If you're gonna tail me make yourself useful. Fold these." He dropped a pile of clean towels in front of her.

"Okay." She sat and started folding as he worked on other laundry. "So you used to rodeo?"

"Yep."

"Were you any good?"

"I liked to think so, but really, I was mediocre at best." He chuckled.

"You know my daddy rode the broncs one time?"

He looked around at her. "No, I did not."

She nodded.

"Oh, that's funny. I'm never letting him live that down. He's always told me rodeo was stupid."

She smirked. "Prob'ly 'cause he got bucked."

Jack winced and laughed, picturing a younger Ennis flat on his ass in the dirt.

"What do you an' Daddy do when Junior an' Bobby an' me ain't here?"

"Most a the same stuff we do when you are. Laundry." He held up one of Ennis's shirts. "Other chores. Gone riding a couple times."

"Anything _else_?"

He shot her a look. "There is a limit to how much I'm willing to tell a fifteen year old."

"C'mon, at fifteen you'd've been curious too."

"Not about my father! I swear there's something wrong with you an' yer sister."

She shrugged one shoulder. "You're pretty much the only grown up we can talk to about stuff like that. Daddy don't talk much about mucha anything. Mama don't talk about what she calls 'private things.' Our other stepdad don't talk to us more than he hasta—"

"Wait, hang on. Your _other_ stepdad?"

"Oh, sorry, just—It's what Junior said. You're to Daddy as Bill is to Mama. And he's our stepdad so I figure you're good as the same. Unless you don't wanna be..." She looked down.

"No, no, that's not—" He sat across from her with the pile of towels between them on the floor. "Yesterday you couldn't believe two men could be in a relationship; now yer thinkin' a me as good as yer stepfather. How in blazes did you make that switch in a day?"

She shrugged.

"There really is something wrong with all you Delmars." He leaned forward and ruffled her hair.

"Hey!" She laughed and pushed his hand away, relieved.

That evening, after the kids were asleep, as he and Ennis were getting ready to turn in for the night, Jack said, "So, Jenny told me that you tried your hand at bronc ridin' once."

Ennis made a noncommittal sound.

"I thought you thought rodeoin' was for fuckups."

"Yup."

"That 'cause you got bucked?"

"No. My daddy taught me that. And I got bucked 'cause I had no idea what I was doin' 'cause I ain't never done that before _because_ rodeoin's for fuckups."

Jack shoved him and he shoved Jack in return before shutting off the lamp. They both got into bed and Jack pulled Ennis to him with one arm, nuzzling his curls. "Wanna know what else Jenny said?"

"Has it got to with rodeo?"

"No."

"Then sure."

"She says I might as well be her stepfather."

Ennis rolled over. " _Stepfather_?"

"That's what she said."

For a minute Ennis failed to form a coherent sentence. "D'you think that?"

"I'm not quite sure what I think a that." Jack touched Ennis's cheek then let his hand rest on the other man's neck. "I care a whole lot about your girls, dare say I love 'em. Both real sweet, bright, pleasant to be around. An' they're yours. That right there means a lot to me."

Ennis looked away and let his hand find Jack's. "I care 'bout Bobby too."

"I know." A moment of familiar quiet passed between them. Jack gently freed his captive hand and ran it through Ennis's hair. "If we could, would you marry me?"

Ennis stared. "Don't be crazy."

"I'm not being crazy."

"Yes, you are." Ennis rolled back over to face the wall away from Jack, leaving a gap between them on the bed. "Besides, I don't see that it matters. It's impossible and we live together anyway."

In one movement, Jack grabbed Ennis's shoulder, made him roll so he was laying on his back, and moved so he was leaning over the taller man, one hand on either side of Ennis's frame. "It matters to me if you would or not. And I doubt it'll be impossible forever. You read the paper. You know what people are tryin' for in California and Canada and Europe."

"That's halfway 'cross the country and halfway 'round the world."

"Point is things are changing."

"So ask me when they've changed. Not now." He shoved Jack off him.

"Ennis."

"I don't know!" Ennis rolled away again. "I don't know."

"Why not?"

Ennis shrugged. Jack sighed and pulled him close again, understanding what he couldn't bring himself to say: _I'm still scared_.

"You've already decided not to live without me." Jack's voice was soft. "Said you don't ever wanna lose me."

"I don't."

"So what is there not to know?" Jack shifted to put his cheek against Ennis's. They both needed to shave. He felt more than heard Ennis sigh.

"It's different. And it _can't_ happen, so I—I dunno, Jack. Why d'you care so much, anyway?"

"'Cause I'd say yes if you asked me the same."

Ennis almost cringed. Of course Jack would say yes. He wanted to apologize for not being able to be sure, but he didn't. Instead, he tried to relax and let himself lean back so he was partially laying on Jack's bare chest. "Since when you been thinkin' stuff like this?"

"Since your daughters been comparin' me to their mama's husband."

With a breath that was almost a laugh, Ennis shook his head. He closed his eyes and let Jack's hand rove his body but flattened it under his own rough palm before it ventured farther than his hip. "Kids in the house."

"Why's that seem to bother you a whole hell of a lot less when it's just Bobby here?"

"He, like you, could probably sleep through a freight train fallin' from the sky."

Jack was quiet a minute. "I can't legitimately argue that."

"I know." Ennis chuckled, laced their fingers, brought their hands up from under the sheets, and kissed Jack's knuckles. "Go to sleep."

 

 


	28. In Which Junior Helps a Friend

The first weekend in August found Junior home alone with her mother, clipping coupons.

"School starts back in a month."

"Yeah, I know." Junior snipped out a quarter off frozen pizzas.

"We haven't gone on vacation yet this year."

"Haven't really been on vacation since William was born."

Alma frowned. "Year before last we went to—"

"Yeah, and I spent the entire trip babysitting. Look, I don't care if we go anywhere or not. We didn't last year. And if I feel like I need to get away from everyday life I can just hop down the road to Crowheart. It's not too far but it's a whole different world over there. Same goes for Jenny, she just can't drive herself."

Alma tossed the remnants of a sheet of ads and coupons on a pile to be recycled. She was about to say something in response but was interrupted by something slamming into the front door, making her and Junior jump. The initial slam was followed by fists banging on the wood and a frantic male voice. "Junior! I know this is your house. Let me in. Like now. For Christ's sake please be home."

Junior sprang to her feet, quickly followed by her mother, and opened the door. Stephan stumbled around her and fell to his knees. His face and shirt were bloody. Horrified, Junior cursed. Alma glanced out the open door and saw a group of boys standing across the street. She turned to Stephan. "They do this?"

He nodded.

"Junior, get him some ice." Alma stepped out onto the porch and shouted across the street. "You little psychos had better get yourselves gone right now."

One of the boys shouted back. "Or what? You'll call the police?"

"I sure will! And I'll call your mothers!"

The boys scattered. Alma stepped back inside and shut the door. Shaking her head, she helped Stephan up and into a chair at the dining table. A moment later, Junior returned with a sandwich baggie full of ice and a damp cloth. She knelt in front of his chair and gently began to clean away the blood while he held the ice against the right side of his face which was in the process of developing splochy, ugly bruises. His lip was split but most of the blood seemed to have come from his nose which, when touched, made him wince. Junior bit her lip. "I'm sorry. D'you think it's broken?"

"Don't think so." His voice was thick.

Alma pulled out another chair and sat. "Stephan, right?"

"Yeah."

"What happened out there?"

He shrugged vaguely. "Some of the guys from school just have a vendetta against me."

"What on earth for?" She brushed the hair off his forehead in full mothering mode.

He shrugged again and shot a glance at Junior.

Alma stood back up. "What's your phone number? I'm going to call your parents."

"Don't." He set the ice down. "I get in trouble at home for getting beat up."

The two women looked at him in horror, at each other, then back at him.

"My father thinks it's weak and unmanly to let yourself get hit. As far as he cares it's my fault if I get beat up and my mother doesn't challenge a damn thing he does." He took the cloth from Junior and folded it over to use the cleaner side to dab at his bruised cheek.

Junior hesitated and put a hand on his knee. "Are you gonna be okay?"

"Yeah... Can I borrow a shirt?"

While her mother went upstairs to get one of the t-shirts Bill never wore, Junior whispered, "Do your parents know?"

He shook his head. "But I think my dad suspects an' that's parta why he's hard on me like he is."

"That ain't bein' hard on you, that's just messed up."

"It's how it is." He sighed. "After this school year I'm moving to California but until then I've just gotta put up with it like I have most of my life."

She hugged him. "Be careful. I know guys die like this."

He let out a breath, hugged her back, and closed his eyes. "Don't remind me."

They pulled away from each other at the sound of Alma's footsteps on the stairs.

Several days later, Junior, Lori, Stephan, and a guy named Troy—who Lori knew from church—all went to the arcade together. No one mentioned Stephan's not yet healed bruises. Some people had probably heard about the fight. Somehow, Junior found herself alone with Troy, sitting at a table eating french fries while Lori and Stephan played tag-team pinball. Troy leaned one elbow on the table. "You know, you sure are a pretty one, Miss Alma."

"My name's Junior. Alma is my mother and she's the only one who ever calls _me_ Alma. I'm pretty sure that's only happened twice and I was in huge trouble both times."

"Forgive me, my bad. You really are cute though."

"Well, uh, thank you."

"You wanna catch a movie Friday, just you an' me?"

"Yeah, sounds nice."

"Sure does sound nice." He took her hand. "Just us, no Lori, no Clairmont. What's Clairmont even doin' here, anyway?"

She pulled her hand away. "I asked him to come."

"Why on earth did you do that?"

"He's my friend."

"C'mon, Junior, you must know what folks say about him. Don't you wonder how he got those bruises?"

"I know how he got them and I don't care what folks say; whether it's true or not. He is my friend." She paused. "And you're friends with Jorden, aren't you?"

"Yeah." He looked confused.

She stood. "Consider that date we just made canceled and consider yourself preemptively broken up with."

"You can't break up with me, we're not dating!"

"Exactly. I'm breaking up with you now so it never happens." She strode away between the flashing lights on the games, leaving him bewildered and rejected with the french fries.

Shortly afterward, Stephan left with Junior to walk her home. A red convertible pulled over next to the sidewalk in front of them and a familiar voice called out. "There you are!"

Hunter hopped out of the car without opening the door. Stephan gaped at the car. "Where did you get a convertible?"

"Won it off a radio station." As he walked toward them, Hunter's broad, proud grin vanished. "What the hell happened to your face?"

Stephan turned his head to obscure the yellowing bruises. "Nothing."

Junior hugged herself with one arm. "He was in a fight."

Hunter clenched and unclenched his fists a few times before jamming his hands in his pockets. "Again?"

Stephan nodded.

"Are your parents home?"

He nodded again. Hunter cursed.

"My house is empty 'cept for my sister." Junior shrugged. "Everybody else is at my stepfather's parents' place 'til evening and you don't hafta worry 'bout my sister."

Hunter nodded once and turned back to his car. "Both of you get in."

 

 


	29. In Which Junior, Stephan, and Hunter Go on a Road Trip

While Hunter obsessively closed blinds, Junior went upstairs to Jenny's room where the younger girl was laying on her bed, reading.

"Hey, Jenny, can you just not come downstairs for a while?"

"Uh, why?"

"I've got friends who've got drama."

"Fine." Jenny rolled her eyes.

"Thank you." She kissed the top of her sister's head and went back downstairs.

Hunter was pacing the living room. His hair—which was shorter than it had been the last time he was in town—looked like he'd run his hand through it a few times. "Are you sure we don't have to worry about your sister?"

"I'm sure. She's staying upstairs and shouldn't care any more than I do anyway."

Hunter let out a breath, sat on the couch next to Stephan, pulled him into his lap, and pet his hair. Stephan curled against him and Hunter kissed his unbruised cheek. Junior looked away, feeling like an intruder. Everything was quiet for a long time. Hunter sighed. "I hate this. I hate that you're so far away. I hate that I can't help you. I—"

"I know."

"Oh, Steph..." Things were quiet again for a while. "Let's get you out of town for a couple days. Drive to Cheyenne or something like that."

Stephan hesitated then nodded. "Yeah."

"Would you like to come with us?" Hunter looked up at Junior.

She blinked, partially out of surprise that he had remembered she was there. "You sure you'd want me there? I wouldn't be in the way?"

"You'd make us less suspicious," Stephan muttered. Hunter nodded.

"Alright then, but we oughta wait for my Mama to get home."

"That's fair." Hunter shifted how Stephan was settled in his lap. "But your sister isn't invited. I don't know her well enough to share a hotel room with her."

"You've only met me twice."

"Stephan trusts you. That's enough for me."

"Well, I'm pretty sure she's got plans with friends anyway." Junior sat in an armchair. She felt as though there were a bubble around the boys on the couch that she shouldn't enter. In trusted company, Hunter was very open—more open than her father or even Jack was in their own home. It didn't exactly bother her but the familiar protectiveness of the hand on Stephan's hip, the act of having him in his lap struck her as foreign.

"Why don't you or your sister care about this?" Hunter gestured to himself and Stephan as a unit.

"She knows a guy a few towns over. Least, that's what she told me."

"Yeah, uh"—Junior looked down and tucked her hair behind her ear—"I do know somebody." She chewed her lip a minute. "He lives with my daddy."

Both boys' eyebrows went up. Stephan slid out of Hunter's lap onto the seat next to him. "Define 'lives with.'"

"Like, it's a three bedroom house and they share a room."

Stephan leaned forward, curious, confused, but generally pleased. "So, your dad's gay?"

"No."

"Bi?"

Junior gave Hunter a look. "What?"

"Right; I'm in Wyoming." He sighed. "Bisexual. Attracted to both men and women."

"Uh, it's more like women and randomly this one former rodeo cowboy he met as a teenager and thinks is completely insane."

Hunter actually grinned for the first time since he'd seen Stephan's bruises. "That works too."

After a while, Jenny got fed up with staying upstairs and came down. Hunter's casualness with Stephan vanished until Junior said, "You know she's got the same daddy as me right? She doesn't care. Even if she did, she's like a hundred pounds and you've gotta be, what, six foot two? Hardly a fair fight. Calm down."

He muttered something about habit and slowly regained his comfortable attitude. Eventually, all four of them were piled on the couch, the bubble broken, watching _He-Man and the Masters of the Universe_ on TV. At the sound of a car pulling into the driveway the boys dropped one another's hands. Junior stood just as the front door opened. Bill nodded at her and continued into the next room, followed by his son. Alma, however, paused, and shut the door slowly. "Wasn't expecting to see you, Stephan, and who is this?"

"Stephan's friend, Hunter. He's visitin' from California. I'm gonna go with them to Cheyenne for a couple days, just thought we should wait and let you know before we went."

"Junior, come with me to the kitchen, now, please."

She did as told.

Alma crossed her arms. "You can't be running off willy nilly with boys, Junior!"

"It's not like that, Mama." Junior lowered her voice. "I'll be eighteen in less than two months and let's just say the things you're worried about happenin' are more likely to happen if I'm not there, you follow?"

Alma paused a moment and let out a breath. "I really don't like that."

"I know, but Stephan's a nice guy and he's my friend. That's what he got beat up for, you know. He don't deserve that. And Hunter _really_ cares about him. I wish they made guys sweet as him 'round here, maybe then I'd have a boyfriend." She took a breath. "It'll just be for a day or two. I already packed. Remember we were talkin' about vacations? Well Stephan needs one, there's some movie Hunter wants us to see that's not playin' in small towns like here, and they'll both be safer if I'm with them."

Alma shut her eyes, her protective instincts warring with themselves. "You call me as soon as you get there, every day you're there, and when you're fixin' to come back."

"Thank you, Mama." Junior hugged her mother tightly.

After a short stop for Stephan to pack a little, the three of them were on the road to Cheyenne. They hadn't started the five-hour drive until nearly ten. By one in the morning, Junior and Stephan were slumped against each other in the back seat, asleep. Hunter chuckled at the sight of them in his rearview mirror, pulled into the first motel he found, and more or less carried them inside. The next morning they finished the trip.

The city was huge, loud, and busy. Junior didn't think she'd seen so many people in her life as passed by in the first ten minutes. Hunter laughed. "Cheyenne is nothing compared to San Francisco. Especially in late June."

"What's in June?"

He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Gay Pride Week."

She turned. "That's a thing?"

"That's a thing. Huge party. Sorta made out with some girl with blue hair and a snakeskin miniskirt this year. It was weird."

Stephan arched an eyebrow. "You did not tell me about that."

Hunter shrugged. "Cmon, food, shopping for the lady and Californian, movie."

They did exactly that. The movie was late in the evening and Hunter changed into a tight black shirt before they went and put a pair of small silver hoop earrings into piercings Junior hadn't noticed he had. "Is this how you dress at home?"

"Yeah. Except I wear two pairs of earrings most of the time."

"Your ears are double pierced?" She grabbed his arm and made him bend down so she could look. "Mine aren't pierced at all."

"We can fix that."

"No thanks. My mother would kill me."

He laughed.

When she got home the next evening, Junior was slightly dazed. She waved as the red convertible sped down the street then went inside. Her mother was waiting for her. "How was your trip?"

"Good. Fun. Busy. The city is, uh, different. Dunno that I'd ever get used to it."

"Did they behave?"

"Yes, they behaved." Junior sighed in exasperation. "I've told you, they're nice guys. They don't just whatever all over the place."

"Well that's good. How was the movie?"

"It was...interesting. Uh, you know those bad cheap horror movies from the fifties?"

"Yes, I snuck out a few times with friends or your father to see them."

Junior stared at her mother in disbelief. "You snuck out?"

"I was a teenager once, too. Which is part of why I worry about you so much. Anyway, what about those movies?"

"The one we saw was like those but making fun of them and it was a musical and there were aliens and a swimming pool and it was really weird."

Alma frowned. "Sounds like it was."

Junior nodded. "So weird."

 

 


	30. In Which Jack and Ennis Meet Stephan and Hunter

At the end of the week, Hunter was set to head home. Stephan was going with him with a plan to come back by Greyhound before school started. As Crowheart was on their way, they had volunteered to take the Del Mar girls to their father's, where they'd already planned to spend the weekend.

Jack and Ennis were both outside with the horses when the red convertible turned down their driveway. They shared a look and headed for the house. Jenny and Junior waved as the men drew near and hopped out of the car. Jenny bounded over and hugged them one after the other. "Hey, Daddy; hey, Jack."

Ennis wrapped an arm around her. "Hey. Who's this?"

"This is my friend Stephan from school." Junior indicated the boy in the front passenger seat then gestured at the driver. "And this is Hunter. Uh, Stephan knows Hunter. He's from California."

Stephan and Hunter glanced at each other. Hunter moved to sit on the edge of the door so he was facing Jack and Ennis. "Is there anyone else around?"

Ennis crossed his arms. "No."

"I'm Stephan's boyfriend."

Everything went still. Jack just looked surprised. Ennis was worryingly expressionless. Jenny spoke cautiously. "We were hoping they could stay for lunch."

"No." Ennis detached himself from Jenny and stepped up on the porch.

" _Ennis_." Jack sounded exasperated.

"I said no." Ennis shut the door behind him with more force than needed. Jack followed him.

Junior turned to the boys. "I'm sorry."

Inside, Jack caught Ennis by the arm. "Ennis, yer bein' rude."

"I don't care."

"They're your daughters' friends."

"I don't want them here."

"They obviously trust us."

The door opened a sliver but neither man noticed.

"Can't imagine why."

"What's the harm in letting your girls' friends stay for lunch."

"I don't want a couple of teenaged queers running around my house."

The door banged all the way open, revealing Junior. "Daddy! Don't call them that! For Christ's sake I smacked Bobby for calling you that."

"No, it's alright." Hunter crossed his arms behind her in the doorway. "I know I've heard worse and I'm sure Steph has too. You know the sort of thing." He uttered a string of vulgar epithets that made the girls cringe, Stephan and Jack look away, and Ennis bristle. "Hell, I've seen a few of those grafitied across front doors." He put a hand on Stephan's elbow. "Let's go."

"Wait." Jack motioned the four teenagers the rest of the way into the room. "Ennis, you are being exactly the kind of jackass you can't stand and I am overriding you. If you don't like it, you can just go hide out in the barn like you always do when you're upset." He turned to Stephan and Hunter. "You're welcome to stay for lunch if you'd like to. Please forgive Ennis, he gets belligerent when he's scared."

Ennis shoved past him and went back outside. Jack called after him. "Yeah, go tell the horses how impossible I am. Come back when you realize I'm right."

Junior shook her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't expect that."

"You don't have to apologize, Junior." Jack shut the door again. "This is your home too, even if you're not here everyday. You ought to be able to bring friends around at least as long as they're, well, safe, which I'd sure say you boys count as."

Stephan was frowning. "He's scared of us?"

"No." Jack sighed and pulled a somewhat shell-shocked Jenny to him. "He's scared a himself and you remind him of the parta him he's scared of. Jenny are you okay?"

Jenny shook her head and tightened her arms around his waist. He pet her hair.

"Too much like when Daddy an' Mama split, huh?" Junior's voice was low.

Jenny nodded. Jack gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Nobody's goin' anywhere, honey. I argue with your daddy just about every day, neither of us ever stay mad for long. C'mon, let's go ahead an' eat."

When she opened the fridge, Junior was faced with several unmarked packages of meat. "Jack, did you an' Daddy go hunting?"

"Yeah."

She removed a package from the fridge. "What did this used to be?"

"A bighorn sheep. Season just started."

Hunter frowned. He seemed perturbed. No one paid him any mind.

"Alright then." Junior set the meat on the counter and got out a cutting board. "Are there potatoes?"

"In the pantry."

"Okay then, we're having shepherd's pie. Jenny, come help me. Stephan, can you cook?"

"Does canned soup count?"

Hunter snickered. Junior shook her head. "No, it doesn't. How about you, city boy?"

"I can cook." Hunter grinned and shot Stephan a look.

"Great." Junior fetched the bag of potatoes and set them on the kitchen table. "Stephan, Jack, can you peel these?"

Not long before the food was ready, Ennis returned, mumbling apologies. Jack put a hand on his back. Stephan looked at Hunter, who shrugged. "Like I said, I've heard worse. Think you upset the girls worse than me."

Ennis looked at his feet. "I didn't mean what I said."

"I think we all know that, Daddy." Junior was washing dishes. "It was still stupid and mean."

"I'm sorry."

"I don't like it when you shout." Jenny had pulled herself up to sit on the counter.

Ennis chewed his words a moment. "I'm sorry, Darlin'. I was an idiot."

"You do that from time to time." Jack leaned back in his chair. "I'm changing the subject now though. What was it the three of you saw in Cheyenne?"

The mood in the room instantly changed. Hunter grinned. " _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_."

Junior brandished a soapy fork at him. "That movie is disturbing. No man on earth should ever be allowed to look that good in fishnet tights. It's creepy."

Hunter laughed. "I've seen better."

Ennis looked like he'd almost rather keep apologizing. Jack, on the other hand, was laughing along with Hunter. "What's this?"

Junior leaned against the sink. "Tim Curry in fishnet tights."

"And stripper heels," Stephan added.

"I'm suddenly glad I didn't go with you." Jenny hopped down from the counter. "Think the food's ready?"

"Yeah, probably." Junior dried her hands and grabbed a pair of pot holders.

As they ate, they kept chatting. At one point, Hunter interjected, "By the way, all my doubts about eating sheep have been dispelled."

Junior smiled. "I try."

After lunch, the boys hugged the sisters and got back on the road to California. Out on the porch, Jack turned to Junior. "Where'd Stephan get those bruises?"

"Where d'you think?"

Jack nodded and put his fingers to the scar over his temple. "Who beat 'im up?"

"Guys from school."

"That why he's spending the rest of the summer with Hunter?"

"Yeah. Get away for a while, heal up."

"Can't say I blame him."

She shook her head.

That evening, Ennis was the last one to come inside for the night. He shut and locked the door behind him, went upstairs to his and Jack's bedroom, toed off his boots, discarded his shirt, and went into the bathroom where Jack was showering. "Junior's friends seem like nice enough boys."

Jack paused in washing his hair. "Are you admitting I was right?"

Ennis sighed. "Yes. I already said I'm sorry."

"You realize far as most of the world cares there's no difference between them an' us, 'cept for age."

"Rather not think about that."

Jack shut off the water and stepped out. "You don't have to long as you realize it." He wrapped a towel around his waist and clapped Ennis on the shoulder. "Shower. I'm going to bed."

 

 


	31. In Which Junior Becomes a Legal Adult

Junior lay her head down on her desk. It was the first day of her senior year. She did not want to be awake. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Stephan. He grinned. "Hey, sleeping beauty. We've got this class together."

She blinked at him. "Hey, Steph. Oh my God, you have a hicky."

He shrugged and took the seat next to her. "Hunter shared his apartment with a couple aspiring ballerinas."

Junior paused at the apparent non sequitur. "What? Oh, oh! Okay, uh, good job, I guess."

"Thank you." He fiddled with the collar of his button down but made no attempt to hide the mark on his throat. Junior rolled her eyes, not sure if the display was more clever or raunchy.

A minute later, Troy came in. "Hey there, Junior." She ignored him. He took a seat in the row behind. "Clairmont, what happened to your neck?"

"Spent a few weeks in California with my friend. He lives with two ballerinas. Fun was had."

"Yeah, right." Troy snorted. Stephan pulled a polaroid from his pocket and held it up. It showed him and Hunter sitting on a couch with two very pretty, long legged girls sprawled across their laps. Troy grabbed the picture. "Holy crap, are they twins?"

"Yes." Stephan snatched his picture back and returned it to his pocket.

At the end of the period, Stephan darted off to his next class and Junior didn't see him again for the rest of the day, but she caught him as everyone left for home and looped her arm through his. "You clever little weasel."

"What, me?" He laughed.

"Yes, you. Are those really his roommates?"

"Yes, they are. And they really are twins."

Junior poked his hicky and lowered her voice. "But that did not come from them."

"Hey." He jerked away from her touch then lowered his voice as well. "No, it didn't."

"Great story, though."

"Thanks, I try."

"When'd you get back?"

"Yesterday. My mom did all my school shopping for me while I was there."

"That's cool. So, I'd say you had a good trip?"

He chuckled, blushed lightly, and fiddled with his collar. "Uh, yeah, you could say that."

"You told Troy fun was had. How much fun?"

"Do we have to have this conversation right now?"

Junior stopped walking. "You didn't."

"What?" A step in front of her, he turned back to face her, blushing harder.

"Oh my God, you did."

"What?"

"You know what, that's why your face is red as a stop sign." She grabbed his arm again and hauled him back to her house. He didn't particularly resist.

Alma heard the door open from the kitchen. "Hey, Junior."

"Hey, Mama." Junior stuck her head in the kitchen. "Me and Steph have English together and we've already got homework so we're gonna do that."

"Uh, alright."

"Hey, Mrs. Monroe." Stephan was slightly out of breath from being dragged.

"Hey, Stephan."

Junior grinned then dragged Stephan up to her room and shut the door. "So, what happened?"

"Is this necessary?" Stephan dropped his schoolbag.

"I have absolutely no love life, thus I live vicariously through others."

"We really need to find you a boyfriend."

"Hey, I'm open to suggestions, but most of the guys in this town are jerks."

"I know."

"I know you know." She dropped her own bag and sat on the bed. "But, so?"

He sat with her. "Do you do this to Lori, too?"

"Over the phone after every date. So, not very often and it's not very exciting, but yes."

He rolled his eyes and leaned back against her pillows. "Well, I mean, we were sharing a room for three weeks." He shrugged. "Things happened. And that's all I'm going to say. Actually, no." He sat up. "Did you know he has a tattoo?"

She arched an eyebrow. "No."

"Yeah, me neither, but he does."

"Where?"

"On his hip. It's his star sign."

"You didn't know about that?"

"I'd never seen him naked. Shirtless, yes; naked, no. Changing the subject though. Your birthday's in a couple weeks, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You got any plans for it?"

"Not really." She shrugged. "Thought Lori and I might go shopping. Maybe go to the arcade or the fair grounds. Why?"

"Hunter wants to get you something so he was thinking he'd drive down."

"How does he make that trip so often? Its gotta be a sixteen hour drive."

"If you obey the speed limits it's about sixteen, yeah. But he intentionally only takes classes two or three days a week so he's got a four day weekend every weekend and he honestly just likes driving."

"Well, alright then. I sure wouldn't mind seeing him."

"Great." Stephan grinned.

* * *

Hunter hopped out of his car and hugged Junior. "Happy birthday, you! Welcome to the world of legal adults."

She laughed. "Thanks, I think."

"Hey, it's not so bad." He winked.

A few feet away, Lori leaned to Stephan. "Your friend is _fine_."

"He's taken."

She frowned. "One of those ballerinas?"

"No, someone else."

"Oh, well," She sighed.

Hunter opened the trunk of the convertible and handed a fairly large, neatly wrapped box to Junior. "Here."

"Thanks." She sat at the nearest picnic table and opened the gift. Inside was a pair of white and blue, reinstone studded boots. She gaped. "These are incredible. Please never tell me how much you spent on them. Thank you."

"You're very welcome." He laughed. "And, if you'd like, I'm still willing to pierce your ears."

"Oh, Hunter, I don't know."

"Junior." Lori leaned on her friend's knees. "He's offering and you're eighteen. Might as well not have to pay for it." She beamed.

"I bought a pair of sapphire earrings just in case." Hunter crossed his arms, grinning.

"What exactly did you plan on doing with those if I said no?" Junior gave him a look.

"Wear them, of course! I like blue stones, nevermind that my birthstone is red. So what do you say?"

She bit her lip then smiled. "Let's do this."

"Fantastic. Couple rounds of go carts first though, you'll want to go home for me to do your ears."

* * *

Alma frowned at the scene in her living room. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"I know what I'm doing." Hunter set down the bottle of rubbing alcohol next to the lighter she'd lent him. "I've done my own twice."

"I trust him, Mama." Junior tried to smile reassuringly despite her nerves.

"Obviously." Alma shook her head and left the room.

Safety pin in one hand, slice of apple in the other, Hunter turned to Junior. "Close your eyes and lose the ice. I'll do it on three. One, two,"—he stuck the pin through her ear—"three." Quickly, he switched the pin for one of the sapphire earring. "There, half done."

She cracked one eye open. "You didn't do it on three, did you?"

"Nope. Did it on two. Relax a minute. I need to resterilize things."

A minute later, he did the other side on one. Junior examined his handiwork in the mirror in the bathroom. "Looks good, thanks, Hunter."

"No problem."

"For real, though,"—Lori was fingering her own earring absently—"how exactly did you end up knowing how to do this."

"When I was fourteen, I wanted my ears pierced, parents wouldn't let me. I stole a magazine from my older brother's girlfriend that had instructions and did it myself. Did it again a few years later."

"You have nerves of steel." Stephan shook his head.

"You know I do."

Junior leaned against the counter. "This really has turned out to be a really cool birthday. Thanks you guys."

"Hey, we love you." Lori squeezed her shoulder. "We're obligated to make your birthday good."

Everyone laughed.

 

 


	32. In Which There is a Storm

"So that's how I got my ears pierced," Junior said to Jack from astride Velvet, their Arabian gelding. Next to her, Jack was riding Chessman, their silver dapple. Junior had gone with him to check some traps he'd set in the woods behind the property but nothing had been caught.

Jack shook his head. "That boy is something else."

"Yeah, he is. Him and Stephan's sleeping together now, too."

"How exactly do you know that?" He gave her a dubious look.

She shrugged. "Steph told me."

"Alright, _both_ them boys're somethin' else. Good for them, though. No idea why you're telling me."

She snickered and tugged at Velvet's reins, keeping him from wandering off the trail to eat. "How many times've me and Jenny told you you're the only adult we know who isn't awkward as hell about talking about sex?"

"I stopped counting at five. You're an adult now, though, too. You can talk about what you want, do what you want, only the law can tell you not to. Just do not run off and try an' make a life of rodeoin'. That's just stupid, it don't go well, I can tell you." They broke through the tree line in sight of the barn. He reined Chessman in and nodded toward the building. "Race you."

She considered for a moment, grinned, "Only 'cause Daddy'd object," and dug her heels into Velvet's sides.

Neither of them were sure which of them made it to the barn first, but they didn't really care. They went, laughing, to put their saddles up, and found themselves faced with a frowning Ennis. He crossed his arms. "Jack, how old are you?"

"Same age as you, old man." With a grin, Jack shoved his saddle back on the rack then did the same with Junior's. "There's nothing wrong with having fun from time to time."

"I didn't say there was."

Junior giggled and hugged her father. "You are a stick in the mud. Everybody's favorite stick in the mud, but still a stick in the mud."

Ennis petted her hair and looked at Jack. "Nothin' in the traps?"

"Nothin'. I'll check 'em again in a few days."

The three of them made for the house. Junior shoved her hands in her pockets. "I should probably head back to Riverton 'fore it gets too late. I've got school tomorrow and Jen probably wants to tell me all about her Girlscout thing. I really don't understand Girlscouts but she loves it."

* * *

Junior let herself into the Riverton house and shut the door behind her. Within seconds, her sister flung herself upon sister and started yammering a mile a minute about friendship bracelets and cookies. Junior pried herself free of Jenny's overexcited hug. "I'm glad you had fun."

"Mhm! Also, Mama says she'll make us both dresses for the Homecoming dance. I can't wait for the dance. Please tell me high school dances are better than junior high dances. Junior high dances are boring."

"So far, my freshman homecoming was the least disappointing so you'll probably love it."

Alma appeared at the top of the stairs. "Ah, Junior, was starting to wonder when you were gonna get home. It's late."

"I know, Mama, I'm sorry, I meant to be back sooner but I was helping with ranch chores."

Alma sighed. "Alright, it's good for you to help, but the both of you need to get to bed soon. You've got to get up."

The girls bowed their heads. "Yes, Mama."

Upstairs, Jenny popped up in the doorway while Junior was brushing her teeth. "I made you a bracelet." She held up a handful of little woven strips. "I made ones for Lori and Stephan, too. Figure you can give them theirs tomorrow at school since you see them both. I also made one for Hunter, guess maybe you can give his to Stephan and he can give it to him when he next sees him. Or you could just keep it and give it to him when you next see him."

Junior spat in the sink. " _Or_ you can keep it and _you_ can give it to him next time you see him."

Jenny blinked. "Or I could do that."

"He's friends with both of us, you know."

Jenny grinned. "Awesome. I have a friend in another state."

"Yes, you do."

They laughed.

In the morning, Junior chased her sister off to the freshman hallway then went to her own class. Stephan wasn't there. He still wasn't there by the time the bell rang. At lunch, while tying the bracelet Jenny had made around Lori's wrist, Junior asked, "Have you seen Stephan at all today?"

Lori frowned. "No, why?"

"Jen made him a bracelet, too, and I was going to give it to him this morning but he wasn't in class."

"Are you worried about him?"

"Not exactly, I just hope there's nothing wrong."

Lori grinned. "Do you like him?"

"He's seeing someone, Lori."

" _Really_?"

Junior raised her eyebrows. "Yes."

"I had no idea. That aside, do you like him?"

"Oh my God, Lori."

"What? You talk to him more than any other guy."

"He's my friend. That's it."

"If you say so."

As the DelMar girls were walking home that afternoon, it started to rain. Jenny glared up at the sky while she walked until a raindrop fell in her eye. Junior snickered at her sister's pain and patted her shoulder comfortingly.

The rain got worse as the day went on. Alma watched from the front porch with her girls as William splashed in puddles in the driveway. "This keeps up, the whole yard's gonna wash away. William, get back in the driveway, stay outta the mud, young man!" She sighed. "At least he can't complain if I throw him in the bath, wet as he is already."

Jenny leaned against the wall of the house. "You'd have been better off with another girl."

Alma shot her a look. "He's no more of a mess than either of you were and he's never smeared squirrel guts on the walls."

Junior smirked. "If he'd ever seen a dead squirrel in his life he'd've."

It was still storming when the family went to bed. Great rumbling rolls of thunder shook the house every few minutes, making the windows rattle in their frames. Junior lay awake in her bed, kept awake by the storm and a kind of sick headache she sometimes got in bad weather. She sat up, saw 12:01 on her clock, cringed, flipped her pillow over, and lay back down. Then the doorbell rang and she sat up again. "What the...?"

Cautiously, she came downstairs in her pajamas and pressed herself up against the door to look out the peephole. There on the porch was a tall, heavyset, worried-looking young blond man holding up an ashen-faced Stephan. They were both soaked through. Junior yanked the door open. "What the hell?"

"I don't know." The blond half-carried Stephan in through the door. "I live next to the Clairmonts, I was still up, saw him come limping out of their house, went to make sure he wasn't 'bout to up an' die. He asked me to bring 'im here. So here we are."

"Thank you for bringing him. C'mere, dining room, sit him down. Steph, you okay?

Stephan made a short sound through his nose. "What d'you think?"

"Right..." Junior took a breath. She looked at the blond. "Sorry, but who are you?"

"Name's Kurt. I work for your stepdad."

"Thought I recognized you. Okay, Stephan, what's wrong?"

With shaking fingers, Stephan unbuttoned his pajama shirt and let it fall. There were angry red marks around his throat and more marks and scrapes across his back just below his ribs. The red marks were clearly going to turn into ugly bruises very soon. He took a shallow breath. "And I think I screwed up my ankle."

"Oh my God." The three of them looked around to see Alma standing at the foot of the stairs. She swooped forward. "I thought I heard, oh God, I cannot believe you're here like this again. At least you're not bleeding this time."

"Steph, what happened?"

Stephan glanced at Kurt, set his jaw, and kept silent. Kurt cleared his throat. "I, uh, I should probably go home. Could I borrow an umbrella? I work tomorrow, I can give it back to your husband, Mrs. Monroe."

Alma paused a moment. "Oh, yeah, sure 'nough. There's a green umbrella by the door you can use."

"Thank you." Kurt excused himself.

"Steph?" Junior pushed his wet hair out of his face. Alma fetched a towel from the hall closet and draped it around his shoulders. He clutched at the edge. Junior put her hand over his. "How'd you get beat up at midnight? What happened?"

He glanced at Alma, then looked at the floor. "My dad. He found a letter Hunter'd written me. We had a fight."

Everything was quiet for a moment. Alma bristled. "I'm callin' the police."

"Don't—" Stephan sucked in a breath and winced.

"Stephan," Alma knelt in front of him, "I have no love for the sort of thing you have with that boy. Truth be told, I think it's disgusting. Only point in your favor on that front is that neither of ya's got girlfriends whose backs yer goin' 'round behind. That said, it ain't no reason for anybody to hurt you for. No parent's got any business beatin' their child like this either. Regardless a what I think a your private matters, this—" she gestured at his torso "—is not alright. I'm calling the police."

"Mama, I dunno how much good that'd do. Odds are most of the police would agree with his dad."

Stephan rubbed at his throat. "Uh, can we work that out in a minute?" He winced. "Aspirin, or something, please?"

"I'll get you some ice." Alma stood.

"Mama, he's freezing already."

"Ice and hot tea, then."

 

 


	33. In Which Stephan Seeks Safe Haven

Despite wincing with every third breath and most sips of tea, Stephan outright refused to be taken to the hospital. "Doctors ask too many questions. I'll be fine, you know this isn't the first time I've been kicked around."

"That doesn't—" Alma began for the fifth time, almost pleading.

"No."

There were footsteps on the stairs. Alma hurried to head off her husband and explain. At the very least, Stephan trusted she wouldn't share the cause of the fight. Junior scooted her chair closer to him. "We've decided calling the cops is a bad idea, and you won't let us take you to the doctor. I doubt you wanna go home."

"Not a chance."

"So what needs to happen now?"

He sighed but interrupted himself with a cringe. "I don't know."

"You look like hell."

"I'm sure."

"You're gonna look worse tomorrow."

"I'm not goin'a school anyway."

"Why weren't you there today?"

"Dad found the letter in the morning, chewed me out. I didn't want to see people after that. He went to work, got home, yelled more. Waited 'til mom'd gone to bed 'fore he went an' choked me up against the damn hall table."

"I'm sorry." Junior couldn't think of anything else to say. He gave her half a shrug in response.

Bill came into the room with Alma trailing behind him. He shook his head. "Son, you're lucky there's somebody who'd let you in at this hour."

Stephan bowed his head. "I know, sir."

"With all due respect, Bill," Junior said, her voice flinty, "that isn't any kinda helpful, and if you're gonna cop an attitude you're best off going back to bed."

Bill stared at her, lost for a response. Alma put a gentle hand on his arm. "Junior, that was rude, but, honey, really, she's right. You have to work tomorrow, regardless. We can take care of Stephan."

After a moment, he nodded and left the room. Stephan relaxed slightly. Alma frowned at him. "Well, you can't just sit in that chair all night. You got anywhere to go? Any other folks in town, grandparents, maybe?"

He shook his head. A silence crawled through the room. Junior let out a breath. "I could take him to Crowheart."

"Junior, that is an hour drive, it's the middle of the night, and you were just there."

"Have you got any better ideas?" Junior crossed her arms.

* * *

At first, Ennis wasn't sure that the pounding he was hearing wasn't in his dream. Then he heard Jack curse groggily and pull away from him. That prompted Ennis to open his eyes. "Huh?"

"Fuckin' two o'clock in the goddamn morning..." Jack grumbled as he dragged himself out of bed. He trudged downstairs barefoot in his shorts and undershirt, and pulled open the door to find Junior standing on the porch in her pajamas and a jacket, one fist half raised to knock again. Jack blinked at her. "What the hell?"

She hugged herself against the chill of the October night. "Stephan's dad found out 'bout him an' Hunter and beat Stephan. He can't go home an' he hasn't got anywhere else. He's in the back seat, he fucked up his ankle and can't really walk, he's too heavy for me to support an' I still haven't got a damn key to this place anyway. Help me get him inside?"

It took a second for everything to soak into Jack's sleep-muddled brain, then he grabbed his coat off the peg. "Sure."

Stephan was bundled in an old quilt in the back seat of the aging yellow sedan and, rather than stand in the cold figuring out how to untangle boy from blanket, Jack picked him up, quilt and all, took him in, and set him on the couch. Jack let out a breath. "I'm gonna go put pants on."

Ennis was standing in the doorway of their bedroom looking profoundly confused when Jack reached the top of the stairs. "Was that Junior?"

Jack nodded and brushed past him, heading for their closet. "You remember Stephan? His daddy beat 'im an' here's only place safe he's got to go."

"Beat 'im?" Ennis was making a face of unpleasant familiarity and disgust. "What for?"

Jack pulled on a pair of jeans. "You get one guess."

"Fuck."

"Yeah."

Downstairs, Junior was carefully undoing the buttons on the dry shirt they'd put Stephan in for the drive. It was actually a too-big shirt of hers, the sweatpants he was wearing were hers too. He looked exhausted. She frowned. "Can you sit forward?"

"Yeah."

She let a breath hiss through her teeth. Ugly splotchy bruises had formed around his throat and were also spreading up his back. His foot and ankle were starting to look pretty swollen, too. Jack reappeared in the living room, Ennis trailing after him. Jack made a sound in his throat. "Lemme see."

Junior stepped back, still frowning at Stephan. "I'm really startin' to think you shoulda let us take you to the hospital."

"I'm fine," Stephan groaned then let out a strangled sound like a dying cat when Jack touched one of the bruises on his back.

"Yeah, you're not fine," Jack said matter of factly. "Does it hurt when you breathe?"

Stephan hesitated. "Yeah. I mean, it's not too bad..."

"Pretty sure you cracked a rib."

Stephan cursed, a low, tired, drawn out monosyllable. "You sure?"

"I used to ride bulls, Stephan."

"I'll take that as a yes." Stephan looked to Junior and she nodded at him. He cursed again.

Ennis frowned from the doorway. "You need to wrap that or something?"

Jack shook his head. "Y'know, that's supposed to help but I find it just makes it harder to breathe and I've seen a bunch of guys come down with pneumonia right after having busted ribs that they'd wrapped. So, no." He tugged up Stephan's pants leg. "That ankle is a different story."

Ennis slipped into the kitchen and returned with the first aid kit. Jack pressed an ibuprofen bottle into Stephan's hands. "That's your new best friend for the next two weeks."

While wrapping Stephan's ankle in an ace bandage, Jack said, "Once you're patched up, we oughta all go to bed. Me an' Ennis gotta get up again 'round six for the horses and I gotta go get my mother from the bus a little later in the morning, but you kids should just sleep." He glanced up at Stephan. "'Specially you."

Stephan nodded. Junior yawned her way through a, "Yessir."

Once Stephan had been helped upstairs and settled into a bed, and Jack and Ennis had retreated to try to get another three hours of sleep, Junior perched on the corner of the nightstand next to what was usually Jenny's bed and crossed her arms. Stephan blinked tiredly up at her in the dark. "What?"

"What's Hunter's phone number?"

Stephan put a hand over his face and groaned. "You're not calling him."

"I think I am."

"It's three a.m. here, so it's two for him, he's got classes, I'm not dying, there's no reason to bother him."

"God, I swear I don't understand why all the functional relationships in my life are between men, you all suck at this whole emotional awareness thing." She stood up off the nightstand and leaned on the mattress instead. "He cares about you, he's gonna wanna know what's happened—and I might not know him _all_ that well, but I saw his face last time you got beat up, and judging by that I'd say the longer it takes for him to find out, the more upset he's gonna be. Tellin' him is a courtesy, not a bother, I'm sure. Yeah, it's two in the morning in California, but he's gonna wanna see you and it's a sixteen hour drive from there to here—maybe twelve the way he drives—if we wait 'til morning to call he won't be able to get here 'til late. Now what's the boy's phone number?"

Stephan chewed his lip for a moment then let out a shallow sigh. "Four one five..."

Still repeating the eleven digit sequence to herself, Junior made her way downstairs to the phone in the kitchen and dialed. It took several rings for the line to pick up. There was a short silence before, voice thick with sleep, Hunter grumbled, "Unless you're my lover or my grandmother, I'm hanging up."

"It's Junior, actually."

There was a pause while Hunter's brain sorted out that sentence. "Why?"

Junior took a breath. "Stephan's dad found out and beat him up." She heard what sounded like the cradle of Hunter's phone clattering heavily to the floor and quickly added. "He's gonna be okay, he's just a little busted up, but I figured you'd want to know."

Hunter's only response was a string of profanities and a bunch of rustling that was probably him kicking his covers to the floor.

"We're at my Daddy's place in Crowheart."

"Thank you."

The line clicked dead, Junior carefully put the phone on its hook, and went back upstairs where Stephan was already asleep. He was still asleep when Junior dragged herself out of bed some eight hours later shortly before noon. She padded down to the kitchen where Sue immediately pushed a plate of muffins toward her. "Jack told me what happened with your friend. Have a muffin, I'm making baked chicken for lunch."

"Thank you, Sue."

The older woman shook her head and leaned against the counter, face drawn. "You done right by your friend. He didn't need to stay there." She shook her head again. "I don't understand how parents—how fathers can do things like that to their children."

"My mama said just about the same thing." Junior bit into her muffin. There was chocolate in it.

"John took a belt to Jack _one_ time. That turned into the biggest fight I've ever had with my husband all forty three years we been married. He never did it again."

Junior stayed quiet. She didn't know what anyone was supposed to say to that. A few minutes later, a series of odd swishes and thumps pulled Junior out of the kitchen to find Stephan inching his way down the stairs, mostly on his butt. She made for the first step. "Here, lemme help you."

"No, I can do this." He flashed her a tight grin.

"If you say so..." Junior retreated a little. "Jack's mother, Sue's here. She's making lunch. Figure my daddy an' Jack'll be in, in a little bit, from workin' outside. There's muffins if you wanna go ahead an' eat somethin'. Also I did call Hunter last night. My guess is he'll be here around five, maybe?"

Stephan made a short sound of acknowledgment, got to the bottom of the stairs, and let Junior help him to his feet and into a chair in the kitchen. He more or less inhaled a muffin while Sue studied him. The timer on the oven went off and, as if on cue, the men came in from outside before Sue'd even gotten the chicken out. While they all ate, Sue gave Stephan a serious look. "After you're done eatin'—and you eat all you want—you oughta go lay with some cloths soaked in apple cider vinegar on your bruises. It helps with the swelling and clears the bruising up quicker. Bath in epsom saltwater would help too, but I'm not sure there's any a that around."

Before Stephan could do more than blink at her, the phone rang. Being closest to the phone, Junior got up to get it. "Hello?" The others watched as her forehead crinkled. "Mama? Wha—? Right. Okay. Thank you. Bye." She turned back to the table. "Stephan's mother came asking where he is, Mama told her, and she's on her way here."

 

 


	34. In Which Junior and Stephan Have a Very Strange Tuesday

Sue set a bucket of what definitely smelled like apple cider vinegar next to the couch. "If you aren't gonna do anythin' 'bout your ribs, at least soak that ankle. You wanna get healed up, don't you?"

She disappeared down the stairs to the basement without waiting for an answer. Stephan looked at the bucket, sighed, rolled up his pantsleg, undid the wrapping, stuck his foot in, and went back to playing cards with Junior. They were playing poker, betting with bottle caps, mostly just to give Stephan something to do. Stephan was also winning.

At the sound of a car in the driveway, both teenagers froze. There was a bit of muffled conversation from outside. Stephan slowly set down his hand of cards. The front door opened and a small, dark haired woman came hurrying in, followed by Jack. The woman paused a moment, spotted her son on the couch through the doorway into the living room, and bustled in, clutching her fists in the skirt of her plain buttonfront dress. "Stephan, oh goodness, I didn't know _where_ you'd gotten off to, leaving in the middle a the night like that, no note or nothin'. I'd thought maybe you'd just gone to school 'til I saw you'd left your bag."

Bristling, Stephan snatched his cards back up. "Junior, it's your turn."

"Uh..." Junior glanced from her cards, to Stephan, to his mother, who frowned.

"Stephan?"

"You thought I'd gone to _school_?" Stephan demanded, throwing his cards on the cushion next to him. He sucked in a breath, flinched, and wrapped one arm around his torso before continuing. "Dad spent all of yesterday yelling at me and berating be, calling me things you scold me for ever even _saying,_ and you thought I'd gone to _school_? Then, if I'm not at school, your first concern is that I didn't leave a note?" He sneered, jerked his foot out of the bucket, sloshing vinegar onto the floor, and folded himself into the far corner of the couch.

"Oh, honey, I didn't mean—"

"Right." Stephan cut his mother off. "Right. You didn't mean for it to sound that way. Just like Dad didn't mean to break my ribs."

Mrs. Clairmont gaped for a moment. "I'm sure he didn't—"

"No." Sue mounted the last of the steps up from the basement with a basket of folded towels under her arm. "You're Stephan's mother, yeah? Lemme tell you, you don't break somebody's ribs on accident. If yer doing somethin' that could break a rib, yer tryin' to hurt whoever yer doin' it to."

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Mrs. Clairmont sounded like she was wanting to come off stern, but it came out defensive and nervous instead.

"His mother." Sue jerked her head toward Jack.

"Mom." Stephan was still holding himself around the middle. "Why are you here?"

She blinked at him and her face softened. "To bring you home."

"No way in hell."

"If we just _talked_ to your father. I mean, I understand, you're young, you're figuring things out, and so maybe you haven't had the best of luck with girls, but that doesn't mean—"

" _What_?" Stephan's mouth was open in some combination of disbelief and what was probably horror.

Mrs. Clairmont shrugged a little. "If you just found the right girl—"

"There is no 'right girl,' Mom."

"What about Junior?" There was a note of hopefullness to Mrs. Clairmont's voice.

Both teenagers balked. " _No_."

"Then, some other girl."

"See, I tried that." Jack, who had stayed back in the foyer, came into the room. "It don't work. Just makes everybody miserable."

"And by everybody, he means everybody." Sue shifted the basket on her hip and started across the room. "The husbands, the wives, the kids, the mamas. Only reason the daddies don't end up miserable is they're too oblivious to figure out what's actually goin' on." She paused in the doorway. "Or they won't let themselves believe it." With a sharp nod and a hard look she headed upstairs with the towels.

It took a moment for Mrs. Clairmont to say anything. When she did, it was to Jack. "What?"

"That other man outside?" Jack nodded toward the window. "That's Junior's father, Ennis. _He is my lover_." He enunciated each syllable carefully then crossed his arms. "I have been married, I've got a son just about a year younger than yours. I jumped through all those hoops yer talking about. It doesn't work and it's not worth the heartache. Now, like I said, I got a son. He's young and stupid, just like everybody, and I love 'im, so I worry about 'im. I understand you want what's best for Stephan, problem is what you think's best and what _is_ best probably ain't the same thing. Least, unlike me, you don't have to worry about your kid knockin' some poor girl up."

Mrs. Clairmont stared at him, then at her son, then at Jack again. Sue came back down, her basket now full of rumpled shirts and dusty jeans, and walked right through the lulled conversation to go back down to the basement. Finally, Mrs. Clairmont turned to her son and said. "Just, please, come home, I'm sure if we all just talked—"

"Mom." Stephan smiled but there was no humor behind it. It was cold and pained. He lightly touched the bruises on his throat. "Dad tried to choke me. If I hadn't kneed him in the crotch, I think he might have killed me. I am _never_ going 'home.'"

Everyone in the room stared at Stephan. Junior put a hand on his shoulder. He was shaking, his breath shallow from anger or fear or pain. His mother opened her mouth but didn't say anything. No one said anything the entire time it took Sue to come back up, slip into the kitchen and return with mugs of tea and a beer for Jack. Mrs. Clairmont sank into the nearest chair. Jack went outside. Sue got a towel and dropped it on the floor where the bucket had sloshed. Eventually, Junior realized she'd drunk all her tea without remembering having had any at all. She set it down. Mrs. Clairmont took a breath. "Stephan, I..."

He snorted, then winced. "Jack says I've got at least two cracked ribs, as many as four. Not properly broken through, just cracked."

"He a doctor or somethin'?"

"He used to rodeo," Junior provided automatically.

Mrs. Clairmont nodded slowly. "And he an' your father...?"

"Yup." Junior tucked her feet up under her in the armchair she was in.

"I knew your folks back before the divorce." Mrs. Clairmont shook her head. "Not real well, mind you, but I'd see them, and I never, I cannot believe your father's, well, _that way_."

"It's not like he's an alien or something," Junior muttered. "And you know this is his house, right? It's impolite to talk behind your host's back." She shot Mrs. Clairmont a look.

There was another silence while Mrs. Clairmont looked at the floor. She shook her head again. "I just don't understand."

"Me neither." Sue tipped her mug in her hands, watching the dregs of her tea. "Good thing we don't have to."

Mostly ignoring Sue, Mrs. Clairmont looked at her son. "I just— How? How can you, with that _boy_?"

Stephan leveled a dark, facetious look at his mother. "How detailed of a description do you want?"

His mother frowned. Junior grabbed her mug and pretended to drink the tea that wasn't there to hide the fact that she was trying not to grin. Sue got to her feet. "Mrs. Clairmont? I'm sorry, what's your name, dear?"

Mrs. Clairmont blinked. "Oh, Patricia."

"Good to meet you, Patricia. I'm Sue, we didn't really get introduced earlier. It's lookin' like there's gonna be more folks 'round for dinner than I'm used to cookin' for and it's getting on toward three. I hate to impose, but neither my son or Ennis can cook, Stephan's hurt, and Junior, bless her heart, was good enough to drive him here mighty late last night, so would you mind lending me a hand in the kitchen?"

Looking a little like a deer in headlights, Mrs. Clairmont nodded, "Sure..." and followed Sue out of the room.

Some of the tension leaked out of Stephan and he took a slow, deep breath that only made him wince a little bit. Junior reached over and pushed his hair out of his face. "You okay?"

"No."

"Any less okay than you were earlier?"

The corner of his mouth twitched up. "No."

"That's good then."

"Yeah."

A little while later, Junior talked Stephan into laying on his stomach on the couch with his shirt pushed up, a kitchen rag dunked in vinegar draped across his back. He fell asleep that way. When he woke up, _something_ smelled good and outside the living room window, Jack and Ennis were standing on the porch, illuminated by slanting sunlight that was just starting to tinge orange, sharing a cigaret, talking in voices too soft to hear from inside, and Junior was curled up in the armchair with a paperback book. With a sleepy groan, Stephan fumbled behind him and pulled the cloth off his back. It was warm. Someone—he hoped Junior or Sue—must have replaced it recently. He sat up slowly. "What time is it?"

"Few minutes to four." Junior dogeared the her page and set the book down.

"I miss anything?"

"Just Sue going on a long spiel about how it doesn't matter to young people what their parents think of their relationships. She's been using that TV movie version of _Romeo and Juliet_ from a few years ago for examples."

"I hate that play."

"I thought you liked Shakespeare."

"I do. Just not that one. Think my mom's buying any of it?"

"Can't tell."

Outside, Jack rested his chin on Ennis's shoulder, got shrugged off, and replaced his chin with his hand. A skinny tortoise shell cat jumped up on the porch rail next to them. Stephan pulled his eyes from the window and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. "It's Tuesday."

"I know."

"Kind of a weird Tuesday."

"Strangest Tuesday I think I've ever had." Junior smiled. "And it's only four in the afternoon."

Outside, a car engine roared, then cut off abruptly. Almost before Stephan could register the front door banging open, Hunter was on him, fingers ghosting frantically over Stephan's body, all wide, panicky green eyes and tense muscles. "Steph, tell me you're okay, baby."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Public service announcement: Rib injuries can be very serious, even lethal, especially if a rib is fully broken and could puncture a lung. If you think you have a rib injury, you should see a doctor. I feel like, with his years in the rodeo, Jack has had busted ribs or known guys with busted ribs enough to be able to tell the difference between cracked ribs (which hurt real bad but will heal on their own) and broken ribs (which can require surgery, depending on the nature of the break). Also, while the common wisdom was for centuries to wrap one's chest to support cracked or broken ribs, modern medicine now knows that this tends to cause chest infections, something I feel Jack would have noticed.


	35. In Which Hunter and Mrs. Claremont Stand Off

"Steph, tell me you're okay, baby." Hunter was perched on his knees next to Stephan on the couch, leaned over so he was almost pinning him.

Stephan reached up and set his hands on Hunter's shoulders. "I'm okay. Cracked ribs, sprained ankle, bruises, but I'm okay."

Hunter let out a long breath he'd probably been holding all the way from San Francisco then—ignoring Junior curled in the armchair next to the couch, Sue and Stephan's mother in one doorway, and Jack and Ennis in the other—he kissed Stephan. Patricia Clairmont started to say something. Without pulling away from Stephan, Hunter quickly flashed her a middle finger. She bristled indignantly. Sue put a hand on her shoulder at the same time Ennis said, "Don't. With all due respect, ma'am, don't."

Sue pulled Patricia back into the kitchen. Junior followed her father and Jack out onto the porch. When the two boys broke apart, they were alone in the room. Stephan let out a breath. "I'm okay."

"Okay."

"You flicked off my mom, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

Hunter stood up off the couch and stepped back. His rumpled hair was dyed black—recently, judging by the inkiness of it—there were two pairs of rhinestone studs in his ears, and he was wearing a pair of violently green, skintight corduroys and an old Ziggy Stardust T-shirt that probably used to be blue. He stood there, looking at Stephan, while Stephan looked at him, until a voice from the doorway startled them both. "This is your fault, you know."

Hunter slowly turned to face Patricia. "Excuse me?"

"This is your fault, this whole mess. If you hadn't—"

"Hadn't _what_ , huh?" Hunter drew himself up, practically crackling with stormy energy. He was easily a full foot taller than Mrs. Clairmont. "Hadn't met your son? Fallen in love with him?"

"Hadn't _corrupted_ him," she spat as the front door crept open.

"Oh, honey," he let out a bark of cold laughter, "I didn't corrupt him. He already knew what he wanted when I met him."

"This still wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you!"

"No. I am not the one who beat him. I have never, and would never hurt him. I was a thousand miles away when your cretin of a husband did this. And he'd have done this no matter how he found out, regardless of whether Stephan had ever even met me!" Hunter was shouting, gesticulating angrily, taking full advantage of his height. "You know _why_ he did this? 'Cause you fucking let him 'cause you always let him have his way instead of standing up for your child like a mother is fucking supposed to!"

The sentence hung in the air. Patricia was trembling, her jaw and fists clenched. Stephan reached out and touched Hunter's hand. Hunter jerked, then laced their fingers together. Staring at a spot on the floor, Stephan said, "He's more right than you are, Mom."

"Oh, so you're siding with him?"

"He's siding with _me_." Stephan looked sharply at his mother and squeezed Hunter's hand.

"Patricia." Sue stepped up behind her, still holding the wooden spoon she was cooking with. "Don't make this into a matter of one side against the other, this isn't chess. You're on the same side."

"But he—" Patricia gestured toward Hunter.

"Loves your son almost as much as you do, which is the most any mother can ever hope for." Sue smiled warmly then turned her gaze. "I'm going to take a wild guess and say you're Hunter?"

Hunter took a deep breath. "Yes. Ma'am."

"Heard a lot of good things about you." She went back to her cooking out of sight.

The front door closed. Jack, Ennis, and Junior had inched their way back inside. Only Stephan spared them a glance. Mrs. Clairmont crossed her arms and muttered at her shoes, "I don't want Stephen doin' that sorta thing. It's not natural."

"I," Ennis said, making most everyone jump a little, "actually agree with that." He shrugged, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and went to lean uncomfortably in the doorway. "Men, it's— It's not natural. Just isn't. I dunno." He shrugged again and watched as he tapped the toe of his boot on the floor. "But just 'cause it's not natural don't make it _unnatural_ , don't make it wrong."

With five pairs of eyes on him, Ennis felt like there were about a thousand ants crawling over his skin. He glanced up and caught Jack smiling at him. A half amused, understanding smile that summed up everything that had led up to Ennis being where he was right then. Ennis nodded just a little and returned his gaze to his boots. "My father never hit my sister, only hit my mother once I can remember, but he hit me an' my brother plenty. Course, me an' K.E. spent most a our time growin' up hittin' each other anyway, but that's not the point. Point is, I know." He tipped his head to the side and lightly kicked the door jamb. "An' I know if my dad'd lived long enough to've found out 'bout any a this," he waved a hand vaguely, indicating Jack and the house, "he'd a beat me worse than a couple busted ribs. Pretty sure he helped kill one a our neighbors when I was a kid, one of a couple fellas owned a ranch together. Found 'im in a ditch just about too messed up to recognize. That's what happens when folks don't say nothin'."

The end of Ennis's speech was met with silence. Jack stepped forward and put a hand on his back. He heard Junior shift her weight behind him and he reached out to wrap his other arm around her shoulders.

Patricia nodded, mostly to herself, and smoothed her hands over her skirt. She flicked her eyes at her son. "You are gonna come home, though, aren't you? Finish school?"

Hunter opened his mouth but Stephan cut him off. "I'm not spending another night in that house. I want to finish school." He glanced up at Hunter. "At my own school. But I'm not goin' back there."

His mother pressed her lips together and nodded. Sue reappeared in the doorway. "Eight people are not going to fit at the kitchen table, supper's ready, I vote we eat in here. Still gonna need one more chair, unless somebody wants to sit on the floor, but it's a better fit."

 

 


	36. In Which the Crowheart Phone Gets a Lot of Use

"Hunter, how old are you?" Sue called from the kitchen.

Hunter paused with his spoon halfway between his bowl of stew and his mouth. He was sitting on the couch next to Stephan who was huddled into the corner with his own bowl, left foot in a new bucket of warm vinegar. "Twenty."

Sue stuck her head in the room. "Thought so. You drink?"

"Not really. Drinking age is twenty-one in California." He shrugged.

"It's nineteen here and all these men have on hand to drink is beer, whiskey, milk, and water—which can be made into tea or coffee."

"I'm fine with water, thank you."

From the chair on the other side of the room, Stephan's mother muttered, "Good answer."

Stephan shot her a look. Sue somehow managed to carry a glass of water, two mugs of tea, and a bowl of stew in from the kitchen with her. She seated herself next to Junior—who was to Hunter's other side—on the couch, passed one of the mugs of tea and the water down to the boys, and tucked into her own dinner. It was quiet. Sitting on the floor in front of the armchair to avoid having to pull a chair in from the kitchen, Jack leaned back against Ennis's leg, which earned him a gentle kick to his side.

The phone rang, making everyone jump. Jack levered himself up off the floor. "I got it." He disappeared into the kitchen, the ringing stopped, and everyone listened as he said, "Hello? Yeah, who is this? Alright, I'll get her." He reappeared in the doorway. "Junior, your friend Lori."

Junior went to the phone. "Lori?"

"Jesus Tapdancing Christ, DelMar, yesterday yer askin' me 'bout Stephan being M.I.A. then you go missing too. No sign of either of you at school, I had to work at the damn diner today so I couldn't go huntin' for ya 'til I got off. I go to your place, car's not there, your mama says you've gone to Crowheart with Clairmont. It's Tuesday and you were just there. What is going on, Junior?"

Junior took a deep breath. "Stephan had a nasty fight with his dad, showed up at my house late last night, couldn't go home and couldn't really stay there, so I took him to my Daddy's."

"Musta been some kind of fight." Lori sounded skeptical.

"It was a 'Stephan has busted ribs now' fight."

Junior could almost hear Lori's jaw drop. "He beat him up?"

"Yeah." Junior flicked her eyes toward the living room. "He did. He's okay though. Mostly."

"Good, but, God— What on Earth for? I mean, I'd think you'd need some kinda reason for that, nothing is a _good_ reason for it, but—he'd never beat him before, right?"

"Not as far as I know. And Steph'd been keeping a secret and his dad found out. That's his reason."

Lori paused. "It wasn't a bad secret, was it?"

"No. no." Junior leaned her forehead on the wall and took a breath. "It's actually a kind of a really nice secret, it's just not something folks need to be knowin' about. You know if it were my secret I'd tell you, but it's not."

"Oh my God, did he get somebody pregnant?"

"No, Lori," she sighed, "he did not get anybody pregnant."

Junior felt a warm hand cover hers on the phone and jerked back a little. Hunter pulled the phone out of her grip and set it to his ear. "Lori? Hey, this is Hunter."

He was standing close enough that Junior could still hear Lori say, "Stephan's cute friend from California?"

A small smile tugged at the corner of Hunter's mouth. "That would be me. Listen, you were asking why Steph got beaten up, yeah? Well, Junior's right, it's not something people need to know about, but I'll tell you if you can promise me something."

"Yeah?"

"Do a better job than Junior of telling what happened without telling the whole damn truth when people start asking. Because you know people are going to ask."

"I think I can do that."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

Hunter gave Junior a look that said most of a Shakespeare play. "Stephan's gay, so am I, we're dating. That's what his dad beat him for."

There was a long silence from Lori's end. "That...is not what I was expecting. Okay, okay... Wow. So, you're—"

"Yup." Hunter absently smoothed the shoulder of Junior's shirt, probably just to have something to do with his free hand.

"Okay. And he's—"

"My boyfriend."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Good. Now, can you not tell people that without making it sound like somebody's having a baby?"

"Yeah."

"Thank you. I'm giving the phone back to Junior now."

"Okay."

Junior took the phone when he held it out, then watched him pour himself a mug of tea from the kettle, pause, get out the bottle of whiskey, pour a little in his tea, put it away, then go back to the living room. She leaned on the wall again. "Hey."

"Did you know about that?"

"Yeah."

"Damn."

"Yeah."

"I didn't think I knew anybody like that."

"I'm starting to think everybody knows somebody, even if they don't know it. You okay?"

"In a couple different kinds of emotional shock, but yeah."

"Well, I think we're heading back to Riverton tomorrow, so see you then?"

"See you."

"Bye." Junior hung up and went back to the couch. No one said a word.

After dinner, Mrs. Clairmont got ready to go home herself. After quickly failing in her attempt to talk Stephan into coming with her, she gave him an awkward, stiffly gentle hug, and left. As soon as her car was out of sight, Jack and Ennis went out to do their evening rounds before they lost the last of the light. Sue put a hand on Stephan's shoulder. "I found a carton of epsom salts in the basement. Why don't you let Hunter help you upstairs and you take a bath? I washed the pajamas you brought with you—they're still hanging out, but I'm about to bring the last of the laundry in anyway—so you can wear those to bed, alright?"

Stephan nodded. He was only managing to stand in the foyer with the others because Hunter was propping him up. "Yeah, thank you."

Hunter helped Stephan up the stairs while Junior and Sue went out to bring the laundry in. If it were up to Hunter, he'd have just carried Stephan upstairs, but Stephan didn't need his pride bruised on top of everything else. The carton of epsom salts was sitting on the corner of the bathroom counter, presumably put there by Sue. Hunter ran a bath, helped Stephan out of his clothes—gritting his teeth at the ugly bruises up and down Stephan's back the entire time—and helped him into the tub. Stephan sank into the water up to his chin and closed his eyes. Hunter ran a hand through Stephan's hair. "You going to drown if I leave you alone?"

Stephan cracked one eye open. "No."

* * *

 

Outside in the barn, Jack and Ennis were busy dishing out feed to the horses.

"Jack, you alright?"

"Huh?" Jack glanced at Ennis from across the barn while he shoved Chessman with his shoulder to get the horse to move out of the way. "I'm fine."

"This isn't all too much like...?"

Jack dumped feed into Chessman's bucket and stepped back out into the aisle, his fingers finding the scar on his temple without his bidding them to. "No worse for me than for you, bud." He locked the bottom half of the stall door. "What you said in there before dinner—"

"It's nothin'." Ennis locked another stall.

"It's not nothin', and you know it. The fact you said anythin' at all proves it." Jack walked to stand in front of Ennis. "So, thank you."

Ennis blinked at him. "What?"

"Thank you."

"What for?"

Jack shrugged. "Bein' here, doin' this with me, not ever actually breakin' my nose despite several close calls, everything."

Ennis scuffed his boot in the dirt. "What 'm I s'posed to say to that, huh?"

"You don't have to say anythin'." Jack smiled and the corners of his eyes crinkled. He turned on his heel and strode off to lock up the feed room. "In other news, that woman from the farmers' market's still interested in her daughter getting' ridin' lessons."

Ennis groaned behind him.

"Look, I'd be happy to teach, and Lord knows we could always use cash. All you'd have to do is not cuss at the damn kids."

Before the conversation could continue, someone knocked on the open door of the barn, making both men look around. Hunter was standing in the doorway, hands shoved in the pockets of his too green pants, no jacket, shoulders hunched against the settling evening chill. "I was wondering if I could use your phone? I should call my professors, and probably my roommates."

Jack let out a breath. "I'm not gonna wanna see this month's phone bill, but go ahead."

"If you'd rather, I could—"

"Go ahead, Hunter." Jack nodded at him.

"Thank you." Hunter nodded back then turned to trudge up the hill to the house. Once there, he went to make sure Stephan was keeping his word about not drowning, then pulled a chair over next to the phone in the kitchen. He called three of his four professors and provided them with vague, hand waving explanations along the lines of, "I'm not skipping your class, I swear, there was a family emergency." Then he called the fourth, his psych professor he'd had for three different classes. He leaned back in his chair when she picked up. "Hey, Professor Wise. It's Hunter Greene."

"I assume you're about to explain why you weren't in class today. It's not like you to skip."

"I'm not skipping..." He sighed. "I'm in Wyoming. My, uh, my boyfriend got beaten up by his father."

There was a short silence on the other end. "I'm very sorry to hear that. I didn't know you were seeing anyone but I am very sorry to hear that. Safe to assume you won't be in class Thursday, either?"

"I probably won't be back until next week."

"The next words out of your mouth are going to be asking for an extension on the paper, aren't they?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Come see me when you get back, we'll talk about it."

"Thank you, Professor."

"And get off the phone and go be the good worried mess of an S.O. I'm sure you are."

"Yes, ma'am."

He left a voicemail for his roommates, "Emergency trip to Wyoming, Stephan was in trouble, be back ASAP," and went back upstairs.

 

 


	37. In Which They Fetch Stephan's Things

Junior brandished her just rinsed toothbrush at Hunter. "If anyone is sleeping on the couch it's me. You've been up since I called you and you drove, what, thirteen hours, speeding? You get an actual bed."

"Really, it'd be fine on the couch," Hunter said for at least the third time.

From where he was already in bed across the hall, Stephan called, "Why don't you just share with me, Hunter?"

"Because you're hurt," Hunter and Junior called back as one.

Junior dropped her toothbrush in the cup next to the sink and strode across the hall into the bedroom. Hunter followed her. Stephan was sitting up in bed, tugging at the bandages around his ankle. "Yeah, I'm hurt. Believe me, I know I'm hurt. I've taken more painkillers today than I think I ever have in my life and it still hurts when I breathe, but, just, share the damn bed with me, okay? Nobody needs to sleep on the couch."

Hunter slid down the doorframe with a sigh. "I don't want to squash you."

"You won't squash me."

"I don't care," Junior said, pulling a comb through her hair, "I've shared a motel room with the two of you and neither of you snore. Can we just come to an agreement on who's sleepin' where?"

Stephan quirked an eyebrow at Hunter who then ran a hand through his unnaturally raven hair. "We can share."

"Great." Junior put down her comb, shut off the light, and flopped face down on her mattress.

In the near darkness, Hunter pulled off his green pants, dropped them on top of his bag on the floor, and climbed into bed with Stephan.

The next morning, the breakfast table argument over whether Ennis or Jack should go with the kids to Riverton was ended by Sue's pronouncement that, "I can look after a handful of horses and chickens and that skinny cat for a day or two, both of you go."

After breakfast, Jack and Ennis piled into Jack's truck while Stephan got into Hunter's top-up convertible and Junior got behind the wheel of her mother's yellow sedan, and the five of them headed for Riverton. Junior pulled into the driveway and got out of the car. Jack's truck and Hunter's convertible were parked next to the curb, their occupants unmoving. Alma appeared on the front porch, frowning at the small fleet of vehicles in front of her house. Junior slid her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and shrugged a little. "Hey, Mama."

"Hey..." Alma replied absently. She was looking at the truck. "Jack's here?"

"Uh, yeah."

Alma set off across the still soggy front yard. By the time she was halfway across, the men had gotten out of the truck and Hunter and Stephan were watching curiously from the safety of the convertible. Alma crossed her arms. "Been a while, huh, Jack?"

Jack slid his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, uh, fourteen years I think?"

"Somethin' like that."

Junior shared a slightly nervous glance with her father from across the yard. Hunter carefully stepped out of his car and went around to lean on Stephan's door.

Jack toed at the squishy, wet grass. "I, uh, you know, I never meant for—"

"It's passed." Alma nodded once, a sharp bob of her head that made her hair swing. "Nothin' to be done about it now."

"Still. Didn't mean for things to happen like they did."

"I know."

Hesitantly, Jack held out a hand to her. Alma considered for a moment, then shook the proffered hand. Jack let out a breath. "I was more than half expecting you to smack me."

"I'm still debating it." She raised her eyebrows and stepped around him toward the red car. "I dunno what you all think yer doin' with the day, but I borrowed some crutches off my sister for Stephan."

"Honestly," Hunter said with half a shrug, "other than get here and get Steph's things from his parents' place, I don't think we know what we plan to do with the day."

Alma paused, shook her head, muttered something under her breath about men, and herded them all inside. "Figure out what you're doing, _then_ go do it."

Crowded awkwardly around the dining table, a pair of crutches leaning against the back of Stephan's chair, the two men, two boys, and Junior sat, each waiting for somebody else to talk first while Alma glared at them from behind the ironing their arrival had interrupted. Hunter leaned his face in one hand. "So we get your stuff, then what? You have to live somewhere. You can't come live with me if you want to finish school here, you don't even have a car to live out of temporarily like I did when my parents threw me out."

Jack frowned. "Your folks kicked you out?"

"They didn't take kindly to me getting arrested in a raid on a gay bar. Long story for another time."

Stephan shrugged. "I don't know much past 'I'm not going back.'"

"There's that extended stay motel place down from the Chinese place we went to that one Christmas me and Jenny nearly burned the house down tryin' to help Mama with dinner." Junior lifted one shoulder. "Better than a car, I figure."

"Almost anything is better than a car," Hunter assured them.

"Okay." Stephan sighed. "I'm gonna need a job."

"Yeah," Ennis snorted, "but 'til you can walk you can't work."

Stephan nodded. "Can we just go get my stuff? I don't want my dad messing with it."

The rest of the table nodded, Hunter helped Stephan up onto his crutches, and they all filed toward the front door. Jack hung back a little to say to Alma, "Thank you, for your patience, an' all that."

"Get out of my house." There was no venom behind the order, just a firmness she didn't even have to look up from her ironing to convey.

"Yes, ma'am."

Junior piled into the back of Hunter's car for the short drive to the Clairmonts' house and Jack and Ennis followed in the truck. They parked on the curb. Stephan made a small despairing noise upon catching sight of a dark truck sitting in the carport and leaned forward to press his forehead against the dash. "Fuck Wednesdays." He took a breath and sat up. "My dad gets every other Wednesday off and he worked last week."

Junior chewed her lip while she and Hunter got out of the car. Hunter opened Stephan's door to help him out and hand him his crutches. She nodded toward Jack's just-arrived truck. "Worst comes to worst, my daddy fights dirty."

"I'm slightly disturbed by how comforting I find that." Hunter shoved his hands in his pockets. He was in blue jeans today but they were brighter than normal bluejean blue.

Ennis and Jack joined the little group next to Hunter's car. Jack nodded to Stephan. "So, we're here to get your stuff."

Stephan nodded and swallowed then glanced at the house. "I haven't got my key so here's hoping the door's not locked..."

The unspoken "otherwise my dad is gonna hafta let us in" hung heavily in the air as the five of them made their way across the small, patchy yard. Stephan tried the door, found it unlocked, and pushed it open. He was only a couple uncomfortable crutch-steps into the foyer when he froze. His father had stepped into the hallway from what was probably the living room. Stephan's knuckles went white on the handles of his crutches and Hunter set a protective hand on the small of his back. Mr. Clairmont snorted, his piggish face contorting in disgust. "So this is the queer little fucker you've been screwing around with, huh?"

"We're just here to get my stuff." Stephan sounded like he was having trouble keeping his voice steady. "Then we'll be gone."

"That so?"

"Yeah, that's so." Ennis slipped around the two boys to put himself between them and Stephan's father. Jack lightly pushed Junior and the boys, an indication to go on. Stephan led Hunter and Junior through the kitchen to another dim hallway and into his bedroom.

Stephan sat heavily on the mattress, wincing and putting an arm around his ribcage. Hunter cast his eyes around the room. "Kinda sucks that this's how I'm first seeing your room."

"Well, it's your last chance to see it, too."

Junior grabbed a duffle bag from the floor by the closet. It was the same one he'd taken when they'd gone to Cheyenne. "It does suck, but c'mon, let's pack."

She and Hunter had gotten most of Stephan's clothes crammed into the duffle and an old backpack they'd found when a bout of angry shouting about not allowing something under this roof rang muffled through the house. Stephan went white. The shout was followed by Jack venomously spitting back, "You don't want him in your house, fine, he doesn't wanna be here either. Let him move his ass out and I'm sure he'll be happy for you to never see him again."

Junior and the boys exchanged glances then redoubled the speed of their packing efforts. By the time the closet and dresser were empty, the duffle and backpack were bulging. Hunter picked up Stephan's schoolbag and swept the contents of the desk into it, followed by the contents of the nightstand drawer, which included a couple things Junior was just going to pretend she hadn't seen. Snippets of the men's tense conversation in the hall kept floating back to them in phrases they all tried to tune out. Hunter tossed some personal effects into a faded drawstring sack emblazoned with the name of the local elementary school. "How the hell did that letter bring all this on? I remember writing the damn thing, I don't think I even referenced sex or anything."

Stephan shrugged. "You said you missed me, and you mentioned the Haight. There was also something in there about hickies."

"You had a goddamn hicky!" Hunter shook his head. "This is bullshit."

Junior carefully pulled the Jackson Elementary sack out of Hunter's fists and continued filling it while Hunter stalked over to the bed, punched the mattress hard enough that it made Stephan sitting on the other end of the bed bounce a little, then crawled up to hug his boyfriend, mumbling what was probably an apology. Stephan scritched his fingers through Hunter's hair. "Still not your fault."

"Still bullshit."

Junior cinched the drawstring on the sack. "I think we've got everything, unless you really care about the Cindy Crawford poster."

The closet door stood open, revealing nothing but dust bunnies and a crumpled up old essay, the tops of the desk, dresser, and nightstand were clear, the drawers had all been emptied and—other than a rubber-banded shut shoebox from under the bed—everything had been crammed into four bags.

"Leave the poster." Stephan took the sack from Junior, threw it across his shoulders, and got up on his crutches. Junior and Hunter each shouldered a backpack, Junior picked up the shoebox, Hunter grabbed the duffle, and the three of them headed out of the room.

Ennis and Stephan's father were staring each other down in the front hallway, Jack leaning against the wall behind Ennis, arms crossed, the two of them hemming Mr. Clairmont into the foyer/living room space, away from the part of the house where Stephan's room was. Without a word, Jack took the duffle bag from Hunter and slung the strap over his own shoulder. The handle on the front door turned and Stephan's mother stepped in, wearing the watress's uniform of the one nice steak place in town. She stopped without closing the door. "Stephan."

"I'm just leaving." Eyes on the floor, he crutched forward down the hall toward the door, the others in tow. He was almost past his father when the man grabbed his crutch and yanked it out of his grip.

Everything happened in an instant. Hunter caught Stephan just barely before he fell; Junior grabbed Hunter's shoulder to keep him from overbalancing and letting Stephan fall anyway. Mrs. Clairmont shouted her husband's name and pressed herself tightly into the corner by the door. Jack knocked the crutch out of Mr. Clairmont's hand while Ennis gripped the man's arm and twisted it up behind him, bringing him to his knees on the floor. Ennis snarled. "Don't you _touch_ that boy, you sonofabitch."

Jack quickly ushered the kids out past a still frozen Patricia Clairmont, Stephan clinging to Hunter to keep upright, face white. Ennis waited just long enough for them to get out the door before he let go and followed. Mr. Clairmont staggered to his feet and shouted out the door after them. "Yeah, you get outta here, you little queer! Don't you come back!"

Stephan turned, halfway across the yard, to shout back. "I won't come back! I never want to come back! I hate it here, I hate you! See if I care if I never see you again in my life, see if I care if you die!"

Somehow, Patricia had wound up outside, just a step from the door. She had her hands pressed to her face and was glancing anxiously between her son and her husband. Mr. Clairmont spit on the ground. "Far as I care you're dead already!"

Patricia inched away. Jack threw the duffle and the other crutch into the bed of his truck and pulled Stephan to Hunter's car and pushed him into the passenger seat before the shouting match could continue or escalate. Mr. Clairmont slammed the front door shut. Patricia squeaked. Ennis took the packs from his daughter and Hunter and tossed them in the truck. "My ex-wife knows a good divorce lawyer, you know."

She nodded slowly, staring at her own house as though she'd never seen it before. Ennis climbed into the cab of the truck. As both Hunter and Jack pulled their vehicles onto the street, a tall blond young man stepped out onto the porch of the house next door and watched them drive away.

 

 


	38. In Which Stephan Moves In

"Ahhhg!" Stephan beat his fists on the dash of Hunter's car and screamed. He was breathing hard, chest heaving in a way that must have hurt is ribs, and there were tears in his eyes. "I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, I _hate_ him!"

"I know." Hunter ground out through his teeth.

They were sitting in the parking lot of the extended stay motel. As quietly as she could, Junior slipped out of the back seat and walked to Jack's truck. Standing at the tailgate with Jack and her father, she took a breath. "I think they need a minute."

Both men nodded. She leaned against her father. He petted her hair. With her cheek tucked against his jacket she twisted to look up at him. "What you said yesterday, your daddy hit you?"

Ennis let out a breath and looked up at the sky. "Yeah."

Junior curled her fingers in his jacket, feeling very small. "That how come you fight so good?"

"Naw, learned how to fight 'cause a my brother. Course, me an' K.E. probably fought half 'cause a our father so," he shrugged.

Junior nodded. She heard Jack scuff his boot against the asphalt, followed by the rustling of jackets and denim as Jack touched Ennis's arm and was promptly shrugged off. Junior sighed. "Folks aren't near as observant as you think, y'know."

"Huh?" Ennis asked.

"That thing you do." Junior stepped away and flapped her elbows a little like she were imitating a chicken. "You do it all the time, even at home. I see you do it. Jack knows exactly what I'm talking about, don't ya, Jack?"

"Yup."

"See? And okay, so it's not paranoia if they really are out to get you, but you still take it a little far, and, and just—" She brought her fist down on the hood of the truck. "Fuck! I wish you didn't have any good reason to be scared in the first place! I only have to deal with this bullshit by proxy and it gets to me. It's a wonder neither a you don't drink more."

Both men stared at her, lost for words. Eventually, Hunter and Stephan got out of their car and they got Stephan checked in. Jack quietly paid for a week in the hotel. The elderly clerk hardly seemed to register Stephan's injuries and puffy eyes—she'd probably seen worse.

The group got moving at taking Stephan's modest store of worldly goods up to his new abode without going to see the room first. Ennis hopped up in the truck to hand out boxes, parcels, and bags. He handed a particularly light bag to Stephan. A look of understanding passed between Ennis and Hunter.

The little motel was two stories and had no elevator. Stephan cursed the entire length of the stairs. "The only available rooms _would_ be on the second floor," he muttered after finally making it to the upper story breezeway.

The room was a little threadbare but clean and had a tiny kitchen built in along one wall. Hunter dumped what he was carrying onto the counter and pointed at the bed. "Steph, sit. We can get the rest of your crap, you're not doing those stairs again."

Begrudgingly, Stephan hobbled over and plopped down on the mattress. "And if we leave again?"

"I'll fucking carry you."

Stephan frowned. Jack and Junior both unsuccessfully tried to hide smirks. Ennis shook his head.

It only took one more trip to get the rest of Stephan's belongings. Junior and Hunter took charge of putting things away with Jack and Ennis assisting, mostly by taking orders from Junior.

"This is mostly clothes." She handed the bag to Jack. He set about putting items neatly away in the closet and drawers.

Junior handed a box to her father. "These books should all fit along the back of the desk."

"There's bookends in there too," Stephan said, face drawn.

Within twenty minutes, everything had been put away. Ennis put his hands in his pockets. "Well, it's homier than some of the trailers I've lived in."

Jack pushed on his shoulder. "That's for sure, but also not sayin' much." A look passed between him and Ennis, the kind that only long term couples share. They both grinned.

"Kitchen's the only place we didn't put anything," Hunter said. "Good thing there's already dishes and pots, but we need to go to the store and get food." He glanced at Stephan. "And painkillers."

"Speaking of food," Jack said, "I'm starving."

"Can we go to the diner?" Junior said. "I need to talk to Lori and I think she's working today."

Ennis patted her shoulder. "I like the diner."

A few minutes later, they headed out. Ennis carried a box of empty boxes, Junior carried a bag of torn bags and other trash, Jack carried the crutches, and Hunter carried Stephan piggyback.

At the top of the stairs, Jack tested the crutches and went down a couple of steps with them. He made a face. "I'd almost forgotten how much I hate these." Looking like he'd just bitten into a lemon slice, he held the wooden medical devises up then carried them down the stairs.

"Fuck crutches," Stephan agreed, his chin on Hunter's shoulder. "And fuck stairs."

Hunter smirked. "I don't think that would work very well."

Junior dropped her face into her hand and muttered something about the male sense of humor.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the time this was originally written, I had broken my foot and was on crutches. The town I live in is very hilly and full of unavoidable stairs. I felt Stephan's pain quite keenly.


	39. In Which a Trip to the Diner is Made

"Good Lord," Lori breathed as she hurried up to the group that had just walked in. The school day wasn't long over and her shift had just started, but her impractical white uniform apron was already stained with what was probably coffee. Her yellow uniform dress, at least, had escaped the spill unscathed. She shook her head and called over her shoulder to one of her coworkers. "Lin! We got a clean table for five?"

"Corner booth just cleared out," Lin, a pretty girl of mixed race whose brother was on the football team stepped forward, wiping her hands on her own apron. She stopped at the sight of Stephan. "Holy..." She put her hands angrily on her waist. "My brother and his jackass friends get after you again? If it was them, I swear—"

"It wasn't your brother," Stephan said tiredly.

Lori ushered Stephan, Hunter, Junior, her father, and Jack toward the corner booth. "You remember your brother and Troy and who all yammering about twins an' San Francisco beginning a the year?"

Following, Lin nodded. "Yeah?"

"Stephan's daddy found out 'bout that little escapade and threw a royal self righteous Puritan in the Salem witch trials kinda way fit."

"Oh." Lin grimaced. "Damn. You know what, I'm getting' all y'all coffee."

As Lin strode purposefully toward the kitchen, Hunter offered Lori a hushed, "Thank you."

She shrugged one shoulder. "What? I just told her the truth." She flattened a menu in front of Stephan. "You eat, boy, you look like hell." She pointed at Junior. "Cheeseburger with fries and a cherry Coke?"

"As usual, yeah." Junior nodded.

"Right." Lori turned her attention to Ennis. "Chopped steak with whatever the kitchen decides to throw on top of it?"

Ennis nearly smiled as he nodded his agreement.

"Great." Lori waved a hand. "Rest a ya need a minute?"

Jack glanced between the two boys at the table and at the menu in front of him. "I think so, yeah."

"No problem." Lori went off to yell at the kitchen, "Burn one, post it to Wisconsin and Idaho, and put some roadkill under the kitchen sink."

Once everyone's food arrived—including a monstrous sandwich for Jack and an assortment of breakfast food for Stephan and Hunter, just because they could—Lori perched on the edge of the booth next to Stephan. She examined the bruises around his throat, let out a heavy sigh, and wrapped her arms gently around him. "Christ, you."

"I'm okay, Lori."

"Like hell you are." She glared at him then looked to Junior. "Man, what is with boys?"

Junior shrugged. "Hell if I know."

Lori looked to Hunter. "Is he okay?"

Hunter snapped a strip of bacon in half. "No."

"I'm not dying!"

"You can't walk." Hunter stuffed half his bacon into his mouth. "Eat." He pushed Stephan's plate toward him.

"I'm eating, I'm eating."

Lori stood up with a sigh. "Well, I gotta work. You heal up. Rest a you take care a him, I don't trust boys to take care of themselves." She paused and looked at Jack and Ennis. "Not you. You know what I mean."

Jack snorted as she walked away. "She's got a point." He dismantled the second half of his sandwich and started eating the meat out of it. "Stephan, we oughta get you some groceries, make sure you can feed yourself."

Unable to talk around the bite of pancake he'd just taken, Stephan nodded.

 


	40. In Which the Grocery Store is Gone to

After they'd eaten their fill at the diner, Jack herded everyone to the grocery store Bill Monroe managed. Junior led the way in, followed by Stephan hobbling on his crutches, with Hunter, Ennis, and Jack bringing up the rear.

Kurt was just finishing ringing up an older couple when they walked in. He turned the light off at his register and went over to Junior. "Your Mama was in here a couple hours ago. Told me to keep an eye out for you."

Jack and Ennis looked at each other.

Junior raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"If you didn't just come in," Kurt said, "she said she'd send you over to pick up groceries for Stephan." He nodded at Stephan. "Most of the groceries are in this cart. She's already paid for everything. The milk and cold items are in the walk in refrigerator and there's a bag of stuff in the freezer."

"Huh," Ennis said. "That'll make this a short shopping trip."

"And that's a mercy," Junior said. "Stephan, you sit on that bench, stay off that ankle."

"I can't believe your Mama did this for me," Stephan said wile Hunter helped him sit. "I'll have to tell her how much I appreciate it."

Junior grinned. "You can write her a note."

Stephan nodded.

Hunter said, "Well, I'm still going to get painkillers. Even if Mrs. Monroe got some for you, you're likely to need more."

"I'll help you pick 'em out," Jack said. "You know Stephan, and I know from bull riding injuries."

"Daddy." Junior tugged on his sleeve. "Everybody shops here. Make sure there's no one to start any trouble."

Ennis nodded. "I'll stand guard." He leaned against the wall just past the end of the bench where an exhausted looking Stephan was slumped.

"Well, Kurt," Junior said, "I guess we'd best get the rest of these groceries."

Kurt grabbed an empty cart and headed toward the back of the store.

"Another cart?" Junior said. "There's that much?"

"Sure is. She was being a Mama."

"She's good like hat."

They approached the dark green double doors with the windows that led to the non-public part of the store. When Junior and Jenny were small, they pretended that this was a secret passage to an enchanted kingdom. Sometimes they still did.

Junior opened the door for Kurt and the cart. He turned left and stopped in front of the door to the walk in refrigerator. He hesitated, then turned toward Junior.

"Can I ask you somethin'?" Kurt asked nervously.

"You just did so I figure so." Junior shrugged.

Kurt took took a breath. "I'd ask him myself 'cept for I dunno how to say it an' not have it be rude. And I know it ain't really any a my business at all and not that I particularly mind one way or the other. But, is Stephan queer?"

Junior frowned sternly and crossed her arms. "Ask him."

"I would but I don't wanna offend him." Kurt shook his shaggy blond head. "I know it's a delicate kinda question to ask of anybody. And if he ain't an' I ask, he's sure to be pissed. Guys, we're real sensitive 'bout how macho other guys think we are. We get weird about it. I don't wan' him thinkin' I think he's a sissy or something, 'cause I don't."

"Then why're you asking at all?"

"'Cause I was home when you and your daddy and whoever all came to move him out. I heard what his dad said. 'Sides that, I been worried 'bout the poor kid ever since I half carried him to your house in the middle of the night in the middle of a damn thunderstorm. Somethin's obviously been goin' on with him an' I dunno what. Like I said, it ain't my business, but I wanna know so as maybe if anything else goes down I can help."

Junior nodded. "Go ask him, and tell him that's why."

Kurt sighed. "Right. Well, refrigerated stuff..." He turned to open the heavy metal door. Once they'd wheeled the empty cart in, he lifted a sack off one of the shelves. "There's milk an' butter an' canned biscuits an' I don't even know what all else in here. I think cheese."

Junior grabbed the other bag from the shelf and peered into it. "Yup, cheese. And lunch meat. Hot dogs. Other stuff." She set the bag in the cart. "And you said there's some stuff in the freezer?"

"Yeah, one more bag." Kurt deposited his sack in the cart and led the way back out into the hall, shutting the refrigerator behind them. He paused in front of the door to the freezer. "You know, _Never Say Never Again_ finally made it to the theater here in Riverton."

"Yeah?" Junior frowned slightly at the apparent non sequitur.

"I have to work Saturday but I'm off Friday night."

"Yeah, and?"

"And you wanna maybe go see it with me?"

Junior blinked and settled her weight into one hip, considering the offer. Kurt started to fidget awkwardly in her silence. At long last she shrugged. "Yeah, I think I'd like that."

 

 


	41. In Which It's Christmas

Toward the end of the phone call, Ennis said, "Hey, Junior, what day are you and Jenny coming for Christmas?"

"Christmas Day afternoon. Me and Jenny and William are opening presents Christmas morning, so we'll head to Crowheart right after lunch."

"Figured you'd come here on Christmas Eve if your mama has you opening presents in the morning."

"I'm going to be at Kurt's house on Christmas Eve, Daddy, and Jenny needs me to drive."

"Kurt's house?"

"Yeah, but don't worry. I'll bring him along on Christmas Day."

Ennis was stunned into a momentary silence before he was able to so much as say, "Uh, Junior." No other words came to mind so that was all he said.

Junior was cheerful as she said, "I'll see you in a couple of days, Daddy!" She hung up.

A few minutes later, Jack found Ennis standing in the kitchen, staring at the phone in his hand. The receiver was making a horrendous noise because it hadn't been hung up.

Jack paused. "Ennis, were you going to make a call?"

Ennis looked at him. "I was just talking to Junior."

"She all right?"

"She's bringing Kurt along on Christmas Day."

"Okay." Jack took the receiver from Ennis and hung it up. "I guess we'll have to make sure there's enough food to include him and we can get him some kind of little present so he isn't left out completely when the girls open their packages."

"Present? No, I am not getting him a present. When did this happen anyway?"

"Just now, I guess. Didn't you say you were just talking to Junior?"

"No, I mean her and Kurt."

Jack shrugged. "They have been dating since November."

"That's what I mean, it's only been since November, so why is he being dragged to family holiday get togethers?"

Jack crossed his arms and looked down, trying to hide his grin. "I'm guessing it's because she wants to have him along."

Ennis threw one hand up. "Not that long ago, she was still punching all the boys."

"And she was on the verge of getting in trouble for that at high school. Alma was pretty worried."

"I'd rather still be dealing with that." Ennis stalked out of the room.

Early Christmas afternoon, Junior, Kurt, and Jenny tromped through the snow and sunshine and up the steps to the porch at the house in Crowheart. Junior carried a sack of presents. Sue opened the door and Jenny flung herself into the older woman's arms as she squealed, "Grandma!"

Sue embraced the girl. "Hi, honey." She looked up at Junior. "So this handsome young man must be Kurt."

Kurt blushed and Junior smiled. "Yes, ma'am," she said. "Kurt, this is Jack's mama, so she's kinda our step-grandma. Plus, she's an awesome cook."

Kurt shook Sue's hand. "Pleased to meet you ma'am."

Sue shooed the teenagers inside. "We can have tea and some of the cookies Jack made."

"Mmm." Jenny said. "Our other stepdad's a good baker because his mama taught him."

Sue chuckled. "Yeah, that took. Somehow, the attempts to teach him to cook didn't."

Junior grinned. "That why you're here?"

Sue nodded. "I didn't trust Jack or Ennis to cook and, if they did, I'd have worried about you kids eating it. I'm staying through New Year's because Bobby'll be up in a couple of days and he's staying into January. I don't want him getting food poisoning either."

Jenny giggled.

Jack and Ennis arrived in the living room with milk and cookies which they set on the coffee table as the kids were shedding their coats, hats, and gloves.

"Hey, Daddy," Junior said as Jenny whooped, "Daddy!" and threw herself first into Ennis's arms and then Jack's.

Ennis hugged Junior before shaking Kurt's hand. Jack just hugged everyone.

Jack gestured at the necklace Junior wore. "You get that for Christmas?"

Junior grinned. "Kurt gave it to me." She opened the locket dangling from the chain and showed Jack the tiny pictures inside—one of her and one of Kurt.

Jack held the locket for a second. "That is right nice." Behind him, Ennis's face turned red.

The tea kettle whistled and Sue turned toward the kitchen. Ennis put a hand on her arm. "We'll get it." He grabbed Jack and dragged him to the kitchen, where he firmly closed the door.

Jack took the tea kettle off the stove and it stopped whistling. He set about making a pot of tea.

Agitated, Ennis paced. "Jewelry? He's already giving her jewelry?"

Jack shrugged. "It's just a necklace. Not like it's a ring or anything."

"It's a nice necklace!"

"At their age, he wouldn't be giving her a pink plastic Barbie necklace. Not if he wants to keep seeing her anyway."

"And that is my point!"

"C'mon, what kinda stuff were you gettin' Alma at eighteen, nineteen years old?"

"Same sorta stuff, then we got married and you know how well that went."

"I think that's more to do with me than the jewelry, bud."

"And that is _not_ the point!"

"Ennis, Junior is plenty old enough to be dating a boy. Jenny, too, for that matter."

"Thank God, she is not inclined."

"That'll change some day, just like it did for Junior."

Ennis gaped at him. "Are you trying to ruin my Christmas?"

Jack grinned. "Not at all. Just see to it that you don't ruin your Christmas, nor anyone else's."

"Me?!"

Jack put a hand on Ennis's shoulder. "Why don't you relax. They're just here for the afternoon."

Ennis frowned and mumbled something incoherent.

"I'm sure you can behave for one afternoon," Jack said. "The tea's ready. If we don't go on out there, my mama's gonna come looking for us. Here, you carry the mugs."

As Jack and Ennis walked into the living room with the tea, Sue said, "So, how's Stephan?"

"Oh, he's in California," Jenny said.

Junior nodded. "His mama gave him money for Christmas and gave it to him early, so he's spending all three weeks of break with Hunter. Took the bus out."

Jack frowned. "How's he paying for his room while he's gone?"

"He moved outta that room at the beginning of break," Junior said. "His stuff's in our garage for now. When he gets back, he'll move into a room at widow Smithon's house, which will cost less. Mrs. Smithon's his mama's cousin and I think his mama's paying for the room."

"I helped him get a job at the grocery store," Kurt said. "He starts right after he gets back from California."

Sue stirred sugar into her tea. "That's a relief." She glanced at Jack. "I was a mite worried about that young man."

"Me, Lori, and Lin have kinda been looking out for Stephan," Junior said. "Kurt too. So, the bullies have mostly laid off. Lin and Lori bring him leftovers from the diner a lot of days."

"He's looking a lot better," Jenny said. "Not as thin."

"Or as worried all the time," Kurt said.

Jack and Ennis each had their hands wrapped around their mugs of tea. They both quietly studied Kurt.

"Let's open presents," Sue said.

"That's a fine idea," Jack said. He knelt beside the lush live tree that had been cut on their property. The decorations were mostly humble and homemade, including a lot of paper ornaments that had been made by Jenny, Junior, and Bobby, but it looked festive and welcoming.

Jack began handing presents out. There were presents for everyone. Kurt was surprised to get a box and was happy with his driving gloves and leather steering wheel cover. The cowgirl boots were Jenny's and Junior's favorites from among their presents.

Sue wore her new apron to finish making dinner.

"I'll help you," Junior said.

"You go on," Sue said. "Go with everyone else to play with the horses."

It was long after dark before Jenny, Junior, and Kurt gathered up their things to head back to Riverton.

"You coming back for New Year's?" Ennis said.

Junior tilted her head and looked at her father. "Daddy," she said and her voice was soft. "I'm going out with Kurt on New Year's Eve."

Ennis sucked in a breath. He put his hands in his pockets and looked down. "Don't know that I'm ready for you to be so grown up."

Junior put her arms around him. "I'm gonna grow up whether you're ready for it or not."

"I, uh, I see that."

Goodbyes were said and hugs exchanged all around and the group of youngsters, carrying their gifts, jostled each other good naturedly on their way out the door.

"I'll walk them to their car," Sue said. She slipped a coat on and went out the door with the teens.

The quiet in the living room seemed sudden. Jack put an arm around Ennis. "I'm proud of you for behaving yourself."

Ennis made a face. "Kurt's nice enough. I still don't like it that he's dating Junior."

"You wouldn't like it no matter who was dating Junior."

Ennis exhaled. "Probably true."

"She's, what, six months younger than we were when we met?"

"You're not helping, Jack."

"My point is, she's old enough to make her own decisions. And she's got a good head on her shoulders, she'll be fine. Personally, I'm a lot more worried about Bobby."

Ennis leaned more heavily against Jack. "What're you worried about Bobby for?"

"His genetic inheritance does not bode well for his ability to make responsible adult decisions."

"Huh." Ennis nodded. "Can't argue with that."

 

 


	42. In Which the Kids Prepare for Prom

Lunch was loud the first Monday after Spring break. Junior set her tray down and immediately had to duck to avoid getting smacked in the face as Lori leaned across the table to ruffle Stephan's newly highlighted hair. "Remind me where the hell you found Hunter, again?" Lori was saying. "Because wherever it is they're breeding tall handsome fellas who can pierce ears and dye hair is a place I need to get myself."

"Arizona," Stephan said around a bite of apple.

Junior laughed. "Shame, I don't think you'll fit a trip to Arizona in before prom."

Lori nearly choked on her orange juice. "Oh my god, I can't believe I just about forgot prom's coming up! It's in less than a month, isn't it? Kurt's taking you, right, Junior?"

"I assume so." Junior shrugged and stabbed a bland looking chicken nugget with her fork. "Given he's my boyfriend he best be."

"Well, you do have a point there." Lori leaned on her elbows. "We need dresses. Maybe your mama can make them. Mine can't sew worth anything but what yours made you and your sister for homecoming was fantastic. Hey, Stephan, you going?"

"No."

"Why not?!"

Stephan gave Junior an exasperated look before answering. "Because why would I?"

"Hey, don't be like that." Lori leaned across to ruffle his hair again. "You could take me."

"No offense, but I'd rather not."

Lori started to protest. Junior rolled her eyes. "Lori, let him be."

" _Fine_." Lori sighed and stole one of Junior's nuggets.

At the end of the day, Junior and Stephan headed for home together—widow Smithon's house was only a street over from Alma's. Junior stretched; her back popped. Stephan cringed playfully and laughed. "How ladylike."

Junior snickered. "I am such a princess, I know." She stretched again, popping her fingers this time. "Hey, Steph?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to go to prom?"

Stephan sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets. "No, Junior. Did you miss that whole exchange at lunch?"

"I didn't miss it. What I mean is, if you could go with who you'd want to go with, would you want to go?"

"Well, sure I would. But I can't, so it doesn't matter."

Tuesday after school, Lori offered to drive Stephan to work and take Junior home because she had enough time before her shift started at the diner. She drove a twenty year old Ford pickup truck that she'd gotten from her grandmother and she was rightly proud of it. She also took good care of it and made a point of changing the oil herself.

"So!" Lori latched onto Junior's and Stephan's arms as they walked across the student parking lot. "I been doing some thinking about prom. Junior said you said you'd want to go _if_ you could go with you know who, but you can't. Well, I had an idea!"

"Lori..." Stephan sighed.

"No, no, hear me out here." Lori tossed her head. "I still need a date, right? I could go with Hunter—since we're seniors we can take anybody, they don't even have to live here or be upper classmen—and you could take, I dunno, Jenny. Girls dance together all the time, so me and Jen—or whoever you take, Lin, maybe—can be those obnoxious girls and ditch our dates and you and Hunter can hang out under the guise of ditched date solidarity." She beamed proudly.

Stephan detached himself from Lori. "I appreciate you trying to work this out but I don't think it's a good idea."

Lori looked like she'd been struck. Junior carefully unlooped her arm from Lori's and put a hand on Stephan's shoulder. "Steph, nobody's gonna make you go, but since you want to, I think you should. Lori's idea sounds pretty good to me. And, y'know, we only get one senior prom."

He shrugged her off. "I'd much rather not go and have him not be here at all than be stuck around him all night not able—" he looked down and lowered his voice "—not be able to dance with him or kiss him or hold his hand."

Lori snorted. "I say go ahead."

"I don't have a death wish!" he snapped.

"Stephan, don't yell at her," Junior said firmly. "And Lori be realistic."

"It's nineteen-eighty-goddamn-four, for Chrissakes!" Lori threw her hands in the air. "Orwell got it wrong, we aren't all being watched all the time. He ought to be able to do what he damn well wants."

"Yeah, I ought to." Stephan crossed his arms. "But I can't. 'Cause I _do_ get watched. On that note, can we _please_ stop having these conversations outside?"

Wednesday at lunch, Lori invited Junior and Stephan to come eat at the diner. "My uniform's in the car," she said. "My shift starts pretty much right after school but Wednesday tends to be a slow night. And you"—she gestured at Stephan—"don't have to work tonight."

"Which means I need to get caught up on homework," he said.

"Which you'll do better at if you're properly fed," Junior said.

Stephan heaved a sigh. "Okay."

Later that afternoon, they all piled out of Lori's truck in the parking lot behind the diner. They trooped in and she sat with them in the most isolated booth. There were only two other customers in the place and they were on the opposite side of the room.

"I'm not on the clock for half an hour yet," Lori said.

Stephan tapped his fingers on the paper menu as he studied.

"You get something good," Lori said. "I'm buying yours. Make sure there's enough for you to take leftovers."

Stephan flinched. Junior elbowed him. "Don't you start. Buncha us been feeding you for months already. Because we want to."

Stephan sighed. "I figured you were trying to bribe me into reconsidering prom."

"Oh, I am," Lori said brightly. "But not because I'm getting dinner for you."

Stephan dropped his face into his hand with a groan.

Lori dropped a handful of silver coins on the table in front of him. "I saved these from my tip money last night."

He gave her a questioning look and she giggled. "Not that kind of bribe," she said. "It'd be a pretty cheap one. These are for that payphone right there." She gestured toward a phone that could be seen through the window.

Stephan raised his eyebrows.

"I want you to go call Hunter and tell him our plan."

" _Our_ plan?"

Lori leaned forward. "Steph, if you don't go talk to Hunter not only will you not get to go but I most likely will not be able to get a date. If you will allow me a moment of selfishness here, I would rather have a date for the only senior prom of my life and you know as well as I do, if not better, that that boy makes for some damn fine arm candy. Now, how about helping one of your best girls out?"

Stephan's eyes flicked from Lori to the pile of coins to the menu to Junior. "I'd like to see him," he said softly. "But I feel bad always asking him to do stuff for me, to come get me, or to spend the gas money to come here."

"Fine." Junior scooped up the pile of coins and grabbed Stephan's collar. "I'll ask him." She dragged him out of the booth and then outside to the pay phone. On the way, she called over her shoulder, "Order the usual for us, Lori."

Lori gave her a thumbs up.

A short while later, Junior popped back in and waved Lori over. "Phone for you," She grinned and led her friend out to the payphone.

Lori raised an eyebrow at a blushing Stephan as she took the phone from his hand and put it to her ear. "Hunter?"

"Lori, as a good friend and a certifiable genius," Hunter said, "would you do me the honor of allowing me to accompany you to your prom?"

"Charmer!" Lori laughed. "I would be thrilled to have you as my date to the prom."

Junior flung an arm around Stephan's shoulder and squeezed while an upbeat Lori spent another couple of minutes making plans with Hunter. When she finished, she thrust the phone into a startled Stephan's hands. "You may as well use up the rest of the coins talking to him."

"Thanks," he choked out. He put the phone to his ear and curled into the little box around the payphone as much as possible, seeking at least the illusion of privacy.

Lori let out a triumphant whoop and grabbed Junior's shoulders. They jumped up and down together while Junior said, "I think this is gonna work!"

"I know it is," Lori declared.

The two girls eyed Stephan hunched over the phone and smiling to himself. Junior gestured to the backdoor with her head. Lori nodded. As they stepped inside, Lori said, "Gonna go change." She stepped into the backroom just past the tiny manager's office.

Twenty minutes passed before Stephan came back inside. Just as he slid into the booth opposite Junior, Lori came over and set laden plates in front of them. "Had the kitchen hold off on making your food," she said.

"Thanks," Stephan said, "for, um, everything."

Lori cuffed his shoulder. "Pleasure's all mine. I expect to get a great date out of the deal." She winked and leaned close. "Expect we both will."

He blushed.

Grinning, Lori straightened up. "When you're done eating, if it's slow enough, I'll join you in having some pie in celebration."

Junior grinned. "Sounds like a good deal."

As the trio left school on Friday of the next week, Lori grabbed Stephan by the arm and steered him toward her truck. "C'mon."

"Lori, what are you doing?" he said.

"We're going shopping."

"I have work!" he protested.

"Kurt's covering your shift, I already talked to him." Lori shoved him toward the passenger door.

"I also do not have spending money," he said as he climbed in.

"Which is why we're going to Casper to go thriftshopping. You need a suit and I need a dress because my mother cannot sew any better than I can and I can't sew worth shit." She looked at Junior. "I can drop you off at home first."

"No need." Junior waved them on. "Have fun."

Lori grinned and got in the driver's seat.

Stephan scowled. "I don't think fun's quite the right word."

"Oh ye of little faith." Lori started the truck. "It's gonna be great." She leaned out of the open window toward Junior. "We'll come see you after."

"You better." Junior laughed. "And it better be tonight."

Stephan, wide-eyed with what looked like shock, waved to Junior as Lori sped out of the parking lot.

* * *

"Y'know how you were threatening to buy Stephan a suit?" Junior said into the phone she had clamped between her shoulder and her face while she pinned the bottom of her sister's baby blue polkadot tulle dress for their mother to hem. "Don't. Lori kidnapped him when we got outta class today to drive two hours to Casper to go thriftshopping. Yeah, she has become a bit of a tyrant. I know. Ow, shit... No, I stabbed myself with a pin. Here, Steph, talk to Hunter, I think I'm bleeding."

"Yikes." Jenny Stephan took the phone. "Hey, Hunter."

Lori rolled her eyes. "I did not kidnap him."

"Yes, she kidnapped me," Stephan said into the phone. "Parts of it were terrifying."

Lori elbowed him which made him laugh then followed Junior to the bathroom. She rummaged around in the medicine cabinet until she found bandaids and iodine. "I got us dinner reservations at the Fork and Knife," she said proudly.

Junior gaped. "How?"

Lori bandaged up Junior's thumb. "Friend a mine from my history class is a hostess there, telling her I'm importing a date from California bought us some priority. Now, we're gonna have to have dinner a little early, but I figure that's alright."

"Hell yes, that's alright."

 

 


	43. In Which there is Pre-Prom Madness

Hair still up in sponge rollers and wearing a robe, Junior flung the front door open. "You two are way early and Lori was late. I swear this dance is going to be the death of me." She ushered the two men in and hugged Stephan and then Hunter.

"You look fantastic," she said. "You both do. Yesterday at school, Steph told me you made it in during the wee hours of Thursday night, Friday morning."

Hunter smiled. "Couldn't wait to see him."

"I only made it to school because he was exhausted when he got in," Stephan said. "But I'm glad he's staying with me."

Junior raised an eyebrow. "Mrs. Smithon allowing that?"

"Sort of." Stephan shrugged. "She left Thursday afternoon to visit her sister in Cheyenne and isn't coming back until Tuesday."

"Junior," Alma called from upstairs.

"Coming, Mama." Junior ushered the guys into the living room and ran for the stairs.

They sat awkwardly on the sofa for a minute. Stephan eyed Hunter's outfit for at least the tenth time. Hunter wore a black and silver brocade coat, black slacks and shirt, and an obnoxiously bright pink tie. "So, uh, where'd you get the jacket?"

Hunter shrugged. "California."

"You know you make the west coast sound like Xanadu or somethin' right?"

"It's not?" Hunter grinned playfully. He straightened Stephan's tie.

Stephan blushed. "I always thought it seemed that way because you're there."

Hunter chuckled. "I think I wound up there _because_ it's like Xanadu. 'Stately pleasure dome' and all that."

"Makes sense."

They fidgeted side by side for five minutes before the doorbell rang. Hair half up in hot rollers, half not, Lori flew down the stairs and opened the door. "Kurt, oh my God, you're half an hour early," she said. "What is with you boys?"

Kurt did something that was part shrug, part cringe. "Excited to be going to prom?"

She hugged him. "You and Junior are going to be a vision together. Meanwhile"—she pushed him toward the living room—"go sit with Hunter and Steph." She rushed back up the stairs without waiting for an answer.

Kurt sauntered into the living room. "Hey," he said as he sat in an armchair.

Stephan and Hunter both said hello.

"Guess being this early might not have been the best idea," Kurt said.

Stephan nodded. "Maybe not."

They sat in silence for a minute.

"This is taking forever." Hunter levered himself up off the couch.

"It's girls getting dressed up." Stephan fiddled with his tie. "What do you expect?"

"I expect I can speed things up." He headed for the stairs.

"Brave man," Kurt said, impressed that Hunter would dare intrude upon the sacred, mysterious ritual going on upstairs.

"Either that or stupid." Stephan shook his head.

Kurt grinned. "Probably some of both."

Hunter stopped when he got to the top of the stairs. "Let me help," Hunter said, mostly to the ceiling. "Trust me, it will go faster if you let me help."

Alma stepped out of Junior's room to glare at him. "I don't see how."

"I live with two ballerinas. I know how to do hair and makeup. You've got three of them"—he gestured toward the bedrooms were the girls were getting dressed—"and only two hands. Let me help."

She sighed and shoved a brush and bobbypins on him. "Fine. Go deal with Jenny."

"Yes, ma'am." He let himself into the younger sister's room. "Hope you're decent."

"I am," she giggled, in the middle of curling her hair with a hot iron.

"Here, let me." He took the iron from her. "You already look like a poodle, you know."

She giggled again. "Is that such a bad thing?"

"Guess not." He chuckled. "Don't tell your mom, but if you want, for _your_ senior prom I could dye part of your hair to match your dress."

They shared a conspiratorial smile.

Twenty minutes later, with Hunter helping, Jenny and Junior were completely put together. Junior was getting a silver comb settled firmly in Lori's hair while Alma fastened Lori's necklace.

The doorbell rang. Junior frowned. "All the boys are already here."

"It's your father," Alma said over her shoulder as she headed toward the stairs. She paused for a moment and her expression softened. "He said he wanted to see his pretty girls in person before they headed out to prom. I can't blame him." Junior smiled and Alma went downstairs. Hunter went down behind her.

Five minutes later, the three prom-going girls sauntered down the stairs one behind the other.

"Stop right there." Alma held up the camera in her hand. "You three are a vision."

Junior and Kurt smiled at each other while Alma took two pictures. "Darn it," Alma said. "I'm out of film." She darted toward the kitchen.

The girls came the rest of the way down the stairs into the foyer crowded with men. Careful hugs were traded all around.

"Wow," Kurt murmured into Junior's ear. She grinned up at him and then went over to hug Jack and her father.

Junior could tell that her Daddy was trying to hide that he was teary-eyed. "You and Jenny look so beautiful," he said.

"Aw, Daddy. I'll bet Mama looked just as beautiful."

Ennis shook his head. "We didn't go to prom. Couldn't afford it." He cleared his throat. "That picture she has of her at prom is from when she was a junior and she was on the prom planning committee. She went by herself in a borrowed dress. Kind of ran everything."

"That's for sure," Alma said as she breezed back in carrying two rolls of film. "Stopped three different people from spiking the punch."

Ennis and Junior grinned at each other. "Sounds like Mama," she whispered.

He nodded.

The next twenty minutes were spent taking photos—pictures with each couple on the stairs, then the guys as a group on the stairs, then the girls as a group on the stairs (again), then pictures in the living room, on the front porch and in the back yard. With every photo location, Jack unobtrusively coaxed Stephan and Hunter to stand together and took a picture of the two of them.

"You are the finest prom group I have ever seen," Alma declared. "And you coordinate so beautifully."

"They really do," Jack agreed.

Junior looked her friends over and glanced at herself in the mirror. They did look good. She was in the pink polkadot tulle strapless dress her mother had so expertly made for her, and Kurt coordinated nicely with his pink bowtie, white suit, and gray shirt.

Jenny and Stephan looked like a sweet young TV couple with her in the blue polkadot tulle dress with capsleeves and him in his blue shirt, white tie, and light gray suit. Lori and Hunter looked like something off the cover of an edgy fashion magazine with her in a black lace dress with off the shoulder puff sleeves and him in that black and silver brocade jacket.

"Who'd a thought we could look this glamorous?" Junior smirked.

"I did," Alma said. "Now shoo. You don't want to be late for dinner."

Ennis grabbed another hug from his girls. "We're heading back to Crowhart. You call me when you get back home."

Jenny's eyes got big. "Daddy, it's going to be really late. We're planning to go to the diner after and everything."

"Don't care if it's after midnight, you two best call."

"Yeah," Jack said. "Otherwise we'll get in trouble with your Mama when he calls here at some ungodly hour."

Alma raised an eyebrow. "You would be in trouble for that."

Junior giggled. "Don't worry, Daddy, we'll call you."

Talking and laughing, the six teenagers piled into Hunter's convertible and headed to the Fork and Knife.

 

 


	44. In Which it's Prom

The school gym had been transformed, streamers and fairylights crisscrossed the high ceiling, artfully draped fabric hid the scoreboard, and clumps of balloons obscured the basketball hoops that had been pulled up to be as out of the way as possible. With the overhead lights out and the large room lit only dimly by the lanterns on the tables and the fairylights, it didn't look like a gym at all—as long as you didn't look down and spot the lines in the wood floor.

"Lori! Junior!" Lin called, waving wildly to catch their attention. She fought her way through a clump of their classmates and came over to hug them. "Hey! Oh, and Jenny, can't forget you. You all look fantastic."

"So do you." Lori fingered the shoulder ruffle of Lin's neon green sequined dress.

"Thanks. Hey, c'mon, there's cake but there won't be for long."

Junior's prom group of six headed to the refreshment table where they all grabbed slices of cake and plastic cups of punch. After taking her last bite of chocolate frosted vanilla cake, she brushed some crumbs off Kurt's lapel. "We best get pictures made while we still look nice."

"Yep," Lori agreed. "Dancing's hell on hair."

Hunter grinned. "That's why ballerinas wear tight buns."

Lori giggled and dragged him toward the corner where the photographer was set up. Each couple posed for the woman taking the pictures, then the three girls posed as a group.

"Beautiful!" The photographer grinned around her camera. "Now the boys?"

"Uh," Stephan looked around uncomfortably, "Kurt went to the bathr—"

"His loss," Lori chirped, pushing him and Hunter in front of the backdrop.

They stood next to each other rather stiffly. The photographer frowned. "C'mon, you're friends, right? Act like you like each other."

Hunter snorted and slung an arm around Stephan in a way that passed easily as brotherly.

A couple pictures were snapped. As the group walked away, Junior just caught the photographer muttering to herself, "I swear, boys're always so damn scared they're gonna look queer if they act nice..."

Junior had to stifle a laugh. Stephan shot her a questioning look. She shook her head. "Let's go dance."

The six of them danced nonstop for half an hour, discoing and boogieing to fast dance after fast dance until finally, hot and a little breathless, they left the dance floor in a little knot, so close together they jostled each other.

"Okay," Junior dropped heavily into a chair, "somebody please get these shoes off me. I'd do it myself but I have too much skirt to even see my feet."

Kurt lifted the hem of her dress. "Yeah, I don't know how you can even walk in those. Also don't know what to do with all those buckles."

"Oh, get out of the way." Lori dropped to her knees and started undoing Junior's sandals. "I told you to go with the granny boots."

"Didn't seem right with a floor length gown."

"It's floor length, nobody can see your shoes, perfect time to go with the comfy heels that don't actually go with the dress."

"There's such a thing as comfy heals?" Kurt asked skeptically.

"No," Jenny and Hunter answered as one.

Jenny gave Hunter a questioning look. He shrugged. "Roommates. They bitch about shoes all the time. And they can both dance pointe."

Jenny grimaced.

"Exactly." He chuckled.

Kurt sat in the chair next to Junior and scooted it away a couple of feet. She raised an eyebrow. He grinned. "You have long legs."

She raised both eyebrows.

He chuckled. "Gimme your feet."

Junior put both of her feet in Kurt's lap. He started rubbing her right foot, putting just the right amount of pressure in her aching arch with his thumb. She groaned in relief. His strong square hands were surprisingly sensitive as he wrenched and rubbed her foot.

Jenny frowned at her sister. "That sounds positively obscene."

"I don't even care," Junior half spoke, half moaned.

Hunter chuckled and looped his left arm through Jenny's and then looped his right arm through Lori's. "Ladies, let's dance."

Lori looked at Stephan over her shoulder. "You too. Come on."

They stepped onto the dance floor and stayed so close together, they were a knot of four people dancing together. Hunter caught Stephan's eye. The younger boy looked flustered for a minute then gave Hunter the happiest smile Junior thought she'd ever seen on Stephan's face.

She grinned to herself and rubbed Kurt's arm. "You are so good at that. I'm thinking I might have to keep you."

He smirked. "Just cause I give good foot rubs."

"Might be another reason or two."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"You are genuinely a nice guy and hardworking and smart. And right handsome."

Kurt blushed.

Junior leaned forward far enough to touch his cheek. "That is downright cute."

He rolled his eyes. "Guys don't really know how to feel about the cute label."

"Yeah but girls like it. We like guys who are cute. And sweet."

"Well, I'm sweet on you."

"That'll do," she said.

Kurt rubbed her feet through the next two fast songs and then a slow dance started up.

"Dance?" he asked.

"Only if I get to dance barefoot."

"Of course you do."

As Kurt and Junior made their way onto the dance floor, the other four—now sweating lightly—made their way off.

"Thirsty," Lori panted.

"Goin' to the refreshment table," Jenny chirped.

Junior waved at them and then wound her arms around Kurt's neck. They swayed to the music. Kurt pulled her a little closer but not enough to get the attention of the chaperones. They just grinned at each other and danced for the duration of a song. Junior was surprised when the next number was slow too. They stayed on the dance floor.

A few bars in, Kurt said, "Been thinking about you going off to the University of Wyoming in a few months."

"Yeah," Junior breathed. "I'm a miss you." The truth of that surprised her some. Before Kurt she'd found most boys to be annoying or useless.

"Never thought about college for myself much." His bright blush was apparent even in the subdued lighting. "Been thinking about it lately."

She pulled back a little to get a better look at him. "Oh?"

He exhaled. "My Dad doesn't understand it but my Mom thinks it's a good idea."

Thinking about her own parents, she smirked. "I know what you mean."

"Thought I might go to the University of Wyoming, or Laramie Community College." He watched her face intently. "Get an education and stay close to you too."

She raised her eyebrows.

He cleared his throat. "That is, if you don't mind."

"No, I'd like that."

His smile was bright and relieved. "Been out of school almost a year now but think I'd get accepted."

"Your grades were always good. Don't think you'll have any trouble getting accepted."

"I don't think I can get everything together by August so I couldn't start in the fall with you. I'd probably have to start in January."

She slid her hand up his shoulder to the back of his neck. "Whenever you get there'd be fine."

He chuckled. "Here I thought I've been saving money for a car. Guess it'll go toward school and I'll keep driving the old junker."

"Hey." Junior straightened up in mock offense. "Don't you go trash talking your Chevy. I like that car. It's just old enough to not have electronic anything so it's still easy for me to work on. We'll keep it running."

"You are the best with a set of wrenches."

"Don't you forget it." She poked his chest.

"Not likely to," he said as he led her off the dance floor.

Junior's eye was caught by Jenny and Lori and the boys slinking back in through a side door. Only Hunter and Stephan looked mussed. She and Kurt caught up to them at the punch bowl.

"Where'd you find a dark quiet corner?" Junior asked.

Lori's eyes gleamed with amusement as she leaned forward and whispered. "Behind the little stand of trees that shade the picnic tables."

Junior took Kurt's hand. "Finish what you're drinking and let's get my shoes."

He chugged his drink and trashed the plastic cup. "Where we going?"

"Just come on." Behind her, Junior heard Hunter laughing.

When they got to the chairs, Junior dug her shoes out from under one of them. She held them up and stared at the high heels. "You know what, I'm just gonna brave the gravel and brambles."

"Can't blame you," Kurt said. "I don't know how you girls stand those."

"I don't know either. Did you know high heels used to be men's shoes?" Junior led them out into the main hallway.

"Nah." Kurt sounded shocked

"Really." She had them duck out of a door without being observed. "Think about old paintings about the French Court and stuff where the men are wearing those white wigs and fussy looking high-heeled shoes." She picked her way carefully along the sidewalk and then the graveled path.

"Huh," Kurt said. "I never thought about it but you're right."

She put her shoes on the most shadowed bench beside one of the picnic tables where they were hard to see, and then pulled him to the darkest section of the little copse of trees. A moment of realization passed over his face and he pulled her into his arms. "I admire a resourceful woman."

Her grin was fleeting because he pressed her closer and kissed her. For years, she hadn't understood what the fuss was about, generally got more out of hanging out with her girl friends than any boys and didn't want to kiss any of them, but she was starting to get an inkling.

Kissing Kurt sparked a soft electric ripple in Junior's mouth that crept outward until her cheek tingled. Then warmth slid through her, waking all her nerves, every synapse pointing toward him like he was true north, until all she knew and all she wanted was Kurt.

* * *

When Junior and Kurt finally got back inside the gym twenty minutes later, Lori grabbed her. "There you are. Come on, let's get in some more dancing."

"Is there some hurry?" Junior asked.

"Yep," Lori said. "We want to leave a little early, avoid the traffic jam in the school parking lot and get to the diner afore it gets crowded."

"So, turbo speed on the fun," Kurt said with a laugh.

"Guess so," Hunter said as he followed Lori to the dance floor. All three girls were dancing barefoot by now.

The DJ pulled out some old disco which Hunter was good at and the other five knew enough of from emulation of old episodes of American Bandstand that they wound up trading partners during twirls and swings until it looked more like they were square dancing than disco dancing. Lori grabbed Junior and swung her toward Jenny and all of a sudden Junior was dancing with her sister, Lori was dancing with Kurt, and Hunter was dancing with Stephan. Hunter shrugged and hammed it up putting Stephan through some exaggerated twirls before grabbing Junior and swinging her outward then pulling her back in. Jenny wound up dancing with Stephan again.

Pretty soon, they were all laughing so hard they could hardly follow the music. Miss Howard, the starchy old chemistry teacher, pulled them off the dance floor and sniffed at them. "Did somebody spike the punch?"

"Why, no ma'am," Lori said.

Jenny looked shocked. "We're just goofing off."

Junior shrugged. "Just kind of high on life, Miss Howard."

Miss Howard narrowed her eyes at Junior. "Still don't know how you made an A in eleventh grade chemistry." She stalked off.

"My mama had me moved from your class is how," Junior said under her breath,

Stephan snickered.

"I think," Kurt said, "that was our cue to go to the diner."

"Think you're right," Hunter said.

The three girls scrambled to find their shoes. Then their little prom group of six left.

* * *

Junior and Jenny were quiet as they unlocked the front door and tiptoed, barefoot, to the kitchen to call their Daddy. One under-th- cabinet stick light had been left on near the sink. While Junior dialed, she muttered, "Why don't you talk to him first, Jenny? You look right tired."

Jenny nodded and took the phone. Just as she said, "Hi, Daddy," Alma stepped into the dimly lit kitchen looking like she'd hastily tied a robe over her nightgown.

Alma looked at her eldest child. "Everybody else gone?"

Junior nodded.

"You have a good time?" her mother asked softly while Jenny half squealed in the background, "It was so cool, Daddy," before settling back into a quieter tone.

Junior grinned, half because of her sister and half because of her mother. "We had a great time, like something out of the movies, like _Xanadu_ maybe."

"Cinderella?" Alma suggested.

"Maybe a little." Junior twirled. "The dresses you made are as good as Cinderella's."

"Oh yeah," Jenny said with enthusiasm and thrust the phone into her sister's hand, "we definitely had the best dresses. Mom, you are fabulous."

Junior blinked at her sister's abrupt actions. She watched her mother hide a bemused smile behind a modest hand as Jenny babbled on.

"Hey, Daddy," Junior said. She took a couple of steps and leaned against the wall.

"Your sister's spun up," Ennis said. "You let her get coffee at the diner or something?"

Junior giggled. "No, we just had a lot of fun."

"Jenny said that too. I'm glad you had a good time."

"Going in a group like this was just the best, and we got treated like royalty at the diner. We were the first to get there."

"How'd you manage that?" Ennis asked. Junior could just imagine his little thinking scowl as he tried to work that out, maybe worrying that they'd been speeding down backroads rushing to the diner.

"Left a little early. We knew the folks at the diner's want to hear all about it. Some of 'em brought pictures from their proms, years ago."

"I guess that's why it's just a little past midnight. You left early and all."

"Yeah." Junior sighed. "It was all perfect though, including the leaving early."

"Can't believe how grown up you are." Ennis cleared his throat. "No matter how old you get, you'll always be my little girl."

"I'm your big girl," Junior corrected. "You told me when I was four that I was your big girl."

Ennis chuckled. "Darling, you're right. You're my big girl."

 

 


	45. In Which the Year Ends

Jack scanned the bleachers. Ennis stood next to him awkwardly clutching a bouquet. "I wouldn't have thought of flowers," he mumbled, "but thanks, I think Junior'll like 'em."

"I bet she does." Jack caught sight of Jenny and waved. He and Ennis climbed up to where seats were being saved for them. Ennis slid in to sit next to Jenny and Jack sat next to Ennis. Alma sat to Jenny's other side. Bill and William sat next to her.

"The gym looks kinda different decked out for graduation," Ennis said.

Jenny grinned. "It looked even better all done up for prom."

"It really did," Kurt said from behind her.

Jack turned to the group sprawled on the bleacher seats in the next row up. Kurt grinned. "Hey, Mr. Twist, Mr. Delmar."

"Hey Kurt," Jack said. "Hunter, I'm glad you could come. Who are these lovely ladies?"

"Wouldn't a missed it," Hunter said. "And these are my roommates, Liz and Ellie."

"Pleased to meet you."

"The pleasure is ours," Liz said. At least Jack thought it was Liz. The two pretty young women with long dark wavy hair looked just alike to him.

"Evenin', Mrs. Clairmont." Ennis's words were soft.

Jack looked up and watched Stephan's mother wring her hands, while the woman next to her patted her shoulder.

"Ma'am?" Hunter's voice rose at the end turning the word into a question. The older woman darted her eyes toward him. "We can scoot over and scrunch up, make room for you and Mrs. Smithon."

Stephan's mother hesitated. "You'd do that?"

"Course he would, Trish," Mrs. Smithon said. "He's a nice young man."

Ellie smiled. "It's not a problem at all."

The four young adults scooted over. Mrs. Clairmont sat stiffly next to Ellie and Mrs. Smithon sat at the end with a sigh.

Alma turned around. "Patricia Clairmont, you just relax. You are doin' the right thing."

Patricia turned a startled glance to her.

"You know you are, Trish," June Smithon said. "I admire you for standing up to Joseph and being here for your son."

"Amen," Alma said firmly. "It's a poor parent won't stand by their child." June breathed her agreement.

Ennis turned the bouquet in his hands. "I can hardly believe I've got a kid who's graduating with honors. I really don't know what to make of Junior goin' off to the University of Wyoming in the fall—with a scholarship and everything."

Alma snorted in apparent irritation. "Not only is Junior goin' to college in fall," she said, "Jenny's goin' too, once she graduates."

Jenny looked up, wide eyed. "This's been decided?"

"Look." Kurt pointed over Jenny's shoulder.

She bounced in place. "I see Junior!"

Ennis craned his neck so Jack pointed him in the right direction. The weather beaten blond grinned and kept grinning as the small graduating class marched to processional music, found their seats, and the speeches began. Forty minutes later, Jack wasn't sure who was fidgeting more—Ennis, Jenny, or little William. Another hour passed before, finally, the diplomas were handed out. Their group as well the group behind them cheered for Junior, Lori, Lin, and Stephan. As soon as the ceremony was over and they were allowed, they all rushed to the gymnasium floor.

"I'm so proud of you," Alma said.

Junior beamed. "Thank you, Mama." She turned to Ennis who thrust the bouquet toward her.

"Uh, here," he said.

She chuckled and took the flowers. "Thank you, Daddy."

Jack gave her a card with money in it. He also gave her a card from his mother. "She's sorry she couldn't be here today," he said.

"Sue is the best," Junior said. "I'm sure I'll see her soon."

Jack also gave cards from himself and Ennis to Lori and Stephan. There were hugs all around. People all over the gym drifted into little clumps where they stood and talked. Their group was no different.

Alma and June both gave Patricia Clairmont a little nudge. Mrs. Clairmont cleared her throat. "I'm, uh, I'm real proud a you Stephan."

"Damn straight," June Smithon said.

Hunter grinned.

Chin down, Stephan looked at his mother. "Thanks, Mom. Thanks for being here."

She clutched at him awkwardly before managing to pull him into a hug. "I miss you every day." She sniffled. "I'll call when I can. I'd like you to write me but you'll have to send it to June's house."

"I will," Stephan said.

"You ever need a place to stay, Trish," June said primly, "I got a nice clean room coming open in a couple days." She grinned at Stephan. "And you call me collect any time. I'm happy to take messages to your mama."

"I'm grateful," Stephan said.

"Where you goin' again?" Lori said.

Stephan stepped away from his mother. "San Francisco State University, same as Hunter."

"I still don't know how you're going to make it," Patricia Clairmont fretted.

He shrugged. "Between the financial aid, like the Pell Grant, and the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, and a part time job, pretty sure I'm going to be okay. And I'm going to work this summer."

Liz and Ellie leaned against Hunter and Stephan. Stephan looked a little flustered but grinned broadly. Ellie bumped his shoulder with hers. "Splitting the rent four ways'll make it even easier."

Jordan paused in his walk across the gym. His eyes flicked between Liz and Ellie. "So there are twins," he said faintly.

Hunter's grin was all teeth. "Always were."

"I remember you." Widow Smithon gripped Jordan's shoulder. "I think you have something to say to my cousin's son."

Jordan stared at her.

She raised an eyebrow. "An apology. You remember those, don'tcha?"

Jordan started to pull away but Alma stopped him. She glanced at his mother who was watching them from across the gym then looked pointedly at him. "You know, I was just thinking I need to say hello to your Mama before we leave."

A panicked look flit across Jordan's face. "Sorry Stephan," he mumbled and then fled.

Stephan and his mother blinked, both apparently shocked. Alma and June smiled at each other in triumph.

Kurt chuckled. Junior gave him a questioning glance. He raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I already know better than to mess with you pioneer women."

She leaned against his side. "You're a wise man. I like that about you."

Ennis scowled. Jack elbowed him and found the scowl turned on him. Jack rolled his eyes. When Jack found himself standing a little apart with Junior and Ennis, he said. "Thank you, Junior."

She raised her eyebrows.

He looked down and scuffed his boot against the floor just a little. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you." He looked up and caught her eyes. "Wouldn't be, I'm sure." He took a breath. "Wouldn't be running a ranch in Crowheart with your Daddy."

Ennis sucked in an audible breath before he caught it and went still.

Junior nodded. "I reckon that's true."

"Because you've got guts," Jack said, "my life changed."

"Our lives changed," Ennis muttered.

"Everything changed," Jack agreed. "Been wanting to thank you for a while. You've got a good head on your shoulders. Whatever you do, you'll do well for yourself."

Junior grinned. "I appreciate the vote of confidence." She stepped away and looped her arm through Kurt's before gesturing to her friends. "Come on, we have a graduation party to go to. You too Jenny." Jenny's face lit up as she followed her sister out of the gym.

"She's moving toward him and away from me," Ennis said mournfully.

"That's how it's s'posed to be," Jack said.

Ennis sighed. "Guess so, but I don't like it."

Alma pinned him with a look. "He is a fine young man, Ennis Delmar, and you have no room to talk. I best not hear of you doing any interfering."

"I won't allow it," Jack said quickly.

"Best not," Alma sniffed. She took William's hand, looped her arm through Bill's, and then swept out of the gym.

Ennis stared after her.

Jack suppressed a grin. "I think that's our cue to go."

Without saying a word, Ennis followed Jack. When they were settled into the truck, stuck in the small traffic jam trying to leave the school, Ennis stole a glance at Jack. "Pretty sure I need to thank you kind of like you thanked Junior."

Jack looked at him. "Oh?"

"My life"—Ennis fidgeted—"it wouldn't be half as good without you."

Contentment washed through Jack. "Being together, I think we can get through 'bout anything."

"Yeah," Ennis breathed. "Guess we're doin' alright."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's the end. At least until I write and post my planned follow up fic. Many thanks to everybody who's stuck through this story with me.


End file.
